Digital reading in beginner readers: Advantage or disadvantage for comprehension of narrative and informational linear texts?

Abstract

Background Text comprehension research in relation to the reading medium showed that digital‐based reading represents a disadvantage compared with paper‐based reading. Most paper versus screen research; however, was conducted with university students. Objectives This study investigated the contribution of reading medium to text comprehension and medium preference in beginner readers who use technology for school learning. The moderating role of text genre, word reading and medium preference on the reading medium effect on text comprehension was also analysed. Methods First graders (N = 115; mean age = 6;8 years) read narrative and informational linear texts on paper and computer screen and answered main idea, literal and inferential comprehension questions. Medium preference questions and a word reading task were administered. Results and Conclusions Logistic mixed models showed that the main idea and literal comprehension of narrative and informational linear texts were greater on screen and for higher word reading skills. Inferential comprehension was lower on screen at lower levels of word reading skills but became similar for the two media as word reading increased. Children had no clear medium preference and medium effect on text comprehension was independent of children's medium preference. The main results show that beginner readers who use technology for learning and are fast and accurate in word reading display no comprehension disadvantage in digital reading. Takeaways Our results add to existing knowledge by clarifying how reading medium effects on beginner readers' text comprehension interact with factors such as fundamental reading skills and experience with technology.

Precursors of reading text comprehension from paper and screen in first graders: a longitudinal study

“…A recent study also involved first graders with considerable experience with technology at school (Florit et al, 2021). The screen inferiority effect did not emerge for main idea and literal comprehension.…”

“…Finally, given our interest in beginner readers, we examined word reading skills as a control variable that is fundamental for printed and digital text comprehension when children are at the end of the first grade and have just learned to read (Florit et al, 2021;Kim, 2017;Tobia & Bonifacci, 2015).…”

“…Four texts about animals were used, two narrative and two descriptive (expository). The four texts were used in a previous study (Florit et al, 2021) and were partly modified to be used in a wider project on text comprehension on paper, computer, and tablet. Narrative and descriptive texts were devised as representative of the text genres used in first grade, and therefore appropriate for identifying possible differences across mediums (Delgado et al, 2018).…”

“…Text comprehension. Based on studies involving both older (Singer & Alexander, 2017) and same-age students (Florit et al, 2021), text comprehension was measured using seven multiple-choice questions with four alternative answers for each text. These were: one question on the main idea, three questions on literal comprehension, and three questions on inferential comprehension.…”

Highlighting and highlighted information in text comprehension and learning from digital reading

“…For today's students, especially in higher education, reading on the screen of a digital device for learning tasks is very common. The transition from reading on paper to reading on screen has led to the flourishing of investigations regarding the role of reading medium in text comprehension (Ben‐Yehudah & Eshet‐Alkalai, 2018; Florit et al, 2022; Ronconi et al, 2022). Three meta‐analyses comparing the effects of traditional and digital reading, mostly in college students, are available (Clinton, 2019; Delgado et al, 2019; Kong et al, 2018).…”