Promoting vocabulary, phonological awareness and concept about print among children at risk for learning disability: can e-books help?

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of activity with an educational electronic book (e-book), as compared with adult reading of the printed version of the same book, on the vocabulary, phonological awareness as well as concept about print of preschool children at risk for learning disabilities. The study involved the participation of 110 children aged 5-7. All participants were identified as having developmental delays placing them at risk for learning disabilities. The sample was randomly assigned to three groups: activity with the e-book, listening to the book's printed version read by an adult (reading-as-usual) and a control group. The findings indicated that the children exposed to the e-book displayed significantly higher emergent literacy improvement (vocabulary and phonological awareness) when compared with the children who participated in the other two groups. These findings and their implications are discussed.

Role of Parent Literacy and Numeracy Expectations and Activities in Predicting Early Numeracy Skills

“…These results may be driven by the numeracy questions that are strongly associated with early numeracy, and via its effect on phonological awareness also by the home literacy environment part of the questionnaire. Note, however, that home literacy activities tend not to predict phonological awareness (e.g., Sénéchal & LeFevre, 2002), although recent studies on e-books show otherwise (Shamir, Korat, & Fellah, 2012).…”

Effects of automated Tier 2 storybook intervention on vocabulary and comprehension learning in preschool children with limited oral language skills

“…Computer-based programs have improved phonological awareness skills (Lonigan, Phillips, Cantor, Anthony, & Goldstein, 2003;Segers & Verhoeven, 2004) and vocabulary (Segers & Verhoeven, 2003). Interactive electronic books have been used to teach early language and literacy skills, including vocabulary, to young children (Shamir, Korat, & Fellah, 2010;Verhallen & Bus, 2010;Verhallen, Bus, & de Jong, 2006). Verhallen et al (2006) reported that children learned more vocabulary from multimedia, interactive storybooks than from static versions.…”

How do young children engage with mobile apps? Cognitive, psychomotor, and affective perspective

“…This newer type of interaction seemed to increase children's engagement because they were experiencing more enjoyable activity, gaining more confidence and becoming less anxious. Apart from these studies, there are several other studies investigating efficacy of e-books with respect to children's emergent literacy (such as writing, reading, and numerical learning), particularly for children with learning disabilities (Shamir, Korat & Fellah, 2012;Shamir & Shlafer, 2011) The educational values of e-book or mobile apps for children were widely argued. Even though young children have been reported as being able to use e-book or mobile apps on tablets and touchscreen devices such as applying required skills e.g.…”