An eye tracking study of digital text reading: a comparison between poor and typical readers

Reading and Writing - The inclusion of technology in schools, coupled with the importance of promoting reading for students with difficulties in particular, has increased the need for investigating...     

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

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?C7. 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.     

The effectiveness of computer-based EFL instruction among primary school students in Israel

This paper presents an effectiveness study of a computer-based English reading program, the Waterford Early Reading Program (WERP), among first and second grade students in Israel. Students who used the program were compared to a control group only receiving English as a foreign language (EFL) instruction as part of the school curriculum. First grade students who used the software during the study period experienced significantly greater gains than control group students on all four measures of reading ability. Second grade students in the treatment group experienced greater gains than control group students on the nonsense word and phoneme segmentation measures. These results indicate that adaptive English reading software has a place in an EFL education system, especially among young students with complex linguistic backgrounds. Adaptive programs like WERP may produce better EFL results than non-adaptive programs because they are able to adjust based in part on a student’s linguistic proficiency.     

The assessment of meta-cognition in different contexts: individualized vs. peer assisted learning

This study investigated the effectiveness of assessing young children’s meta-cognition in different contexts (i.e., individual learning (IL), peer assisted learning (PAL) and self-reports). Additionally, the contributions of declarative and procedural meta-cognition in IL and PAL, TOM and language ability on children’s cognitive performance (recalling a series of pictures) were examined. Sixty-four 4–5-year-old children (M = 5.14; SD = 0.72), randomly selected from two Israeli kindergartens, participated in the study. Children were first asked in an individualized setting to recall a series of nine pictures; they were then asked (self-report) to tell the interviewer how they tried to recall the pictures. Finally, they were asked to assist a peer in recalling the pictures in a PAL situation. All the children’s verbal and non-verbal behaviors were coded and analyzed. In addition, the children’s language ability and Theory of Mind (TOM) were assessed. The findings indicated significant differences between children’s declarative (self-report) and procedural meta-cognitive behavior in IL and PAL. Procedural meta-cognition in PAL and TOM predicted cognitive performance even when procedural meta-cognition in IL, declarative meta-cognition and language ability were controlled for. The findings are discussed in light of recent research on meta-cognition in young children.     

PLURALISTIC IGNORANCE REVISITED: PERCEPTION OF OPINION DISTRIBUTIONS IN ISRAEL

This study examines the phenomena of pluralistic ignorance,looking-glass perception and conservative bias across issues.Public opinion data from Israel suggest that these phenomenaare largely context and issue related. Thus for salient issuesin a highly politicized society such as Israel, people can quiteaccurately assess majority and minority opinions. Looking-glassperception and pluralistic ignorance were found to vary systematicallywith the information available on the various issues in thestudy. The level of ignorance on an issue seems also to be afunction of the shape of its distribution. Moreover, the greaterthe overlap between the majority or minority position on anissue and a clearly defined political block, the lower the looking-glassperception and ignorance levels. This suggests that the politicalcontinuum may be used as a surrogate distribution in assessingthe majority opinion when direct information is scarce. Conservativebias was shown to exist on some issues, but a ‘liberalbias’ exists on others. It is proposed that this biasmay reflect social norms rather than an individual tendencyto view others as more conservative than oneself.     

The effect of using laptops on the spelling skills of students with learning disabilities

The current study examined the effect of using laptops on the spelling skills of students with learning disabilities (LD). It was conducted as part of the Israeli “Katom” (A Computer for Every Class, Student, and Teacher) Program. Participants included 93 Hebrew-speaking students with LD aged 13–16, who attend 10 special education classes in a regular middle school. We examined whether the experimental group using laptops showed significant differences in the number of their spelling errors as a result of the intervention on their pre- and post-spelling tests. We also investigated whether there would be differences on the number of spelling errors between the experimental and control groups, as measured by their pre- and post-spelling test results. The findings indicated that the participants in the experimental group significantly improved their spelling skills as opposed to the control group. It seems that the use of laptops in special education classes can enhance the spelling skills of students with LD.     

Educational e-books: a support for vocabulary and early math for children at risk for learning disabilities

Mathematical learning difficulties can originate at an early age. However, research on young children’s math development, especially those who are at risk, is in its early stages. The current study is the first to examine the effects of an activity with an educational e-book on emergent math with 52 preschoolers at risk for learning disability (ALD). The effects on their emergent vocabulary of the e-book intervention was also tested. The findings revealed that following the intervention, children in the experimental e-book group improved both their vocabulary and early math skills as compared to the control group who engaged in their regular preschool activities. The implications of these results are discussed.     

Processes and outcomes of joint activity with e‐books for promoting kindergarteners' emergent literacy

This research investigated the effects of an educational electronic book (e‐book) on low socioeconomic status (SES) kindergarteners' emergent literacy while focusing on the relationship between process and outcomes during joint learning. The sample (96 kindergarteners, aged five to six) was randomly assigned to experimental (e‐book activation) and control groups (regular kindergarten program). The experimental group's second joint learning session was recorded. Emergent literacy measures included word meaning, phonological awareness, and story comprehension. The main findings indicate an association between the process of e‐book use (hotspot activation and collaboration) and educational outcomes (emergent literacy). Implications for educators and e‐book designers are noted.

Processus et Résultats d'une activité associée aux livres en ligne pour promouvoir les débuts de l'alphabétisation chez les enfants de la maternelle

La recherche a porté sur les effets d'un livre éducatif électronique (e‐book) sur les débuts de l'alphabétisation d'enfants de la maternelle (niveau SES bas) tout en mettant l'accent sur la relation entre le processus et le résultat pendant l'apprentissage associé. L'échantillonnage (96 élèves de maternelle âgés de 5 ou 6 ans) a été réparti au hasard entre les groupes expérimentaux (avec activation par le livre électronique) et les groupes de contrôle (programme de maternelle habituel). On a enregistré la deuxième session d'apprentissage associé du groupe expérimental. Les mesures marquant l'émergence de l'alphabétisation comprenaient la signification des mots, la sensibilité phonologique et la compréhension des histoires. Les résultats principaux font apparaître une association entre le processus d'usage du livre électronique (activation des points chauds et collaboration) et les résultats éducatifs (l'émergence de l'alphabétisation). On a également noté des conséquences possibles pour les éducateurs et pour les concepteurs de livres électroniques.

Methoden und Ergebnisse des gemeinsamen Einsatzes von E‐Büchern für die Förderung von “Kindergarteners Emergent Literacy”

Diese Forschung untersuchte die Auswirkungen eines erzieherischen elektronischen Buches auf niedrige SES Vorschul‐Lese und Rechtschreibfähigkeit durch Konzentration auf den Zusammenhang zwischen Prozess und Ergebnis während gemeinsamen Lernens. Die Gruppe bestand aus 96 Vorschulkindern im Alter von 5 bis 6 Jahren, die zufällig dazu ausgewählt waren, an der Experiment –bzw. Kontrollgruppe (reguläres Vorschulprogramm) teilzunehmen. Die zweite Sitzung der Experimentalgruppe wurde aufgezeichnet und umfasste Wortbedeutung, phonologisches Bewusstsein und Textverständnis. Als Hauptergebnis kann ein Zusammenhang zwischen dem Prozess der E‐Book‐Nutzung (Hotspot‐Aktivierung und Zusammenarbeit) und dem Lernerfolg (emergent literacy) für Pädagogen und E‐Buch Designer festgestellt werden.

Procesos y resultados de una actividad associada con los libros en línea para fomentar el alfabetismo emergente entre los alumnos de pre‐primaria

Esta investigación trata de los efectos de un libro educativo electrónico (e‐book) sobre el alfabetismo emergente de alumnos de “kinder” (SES bajo) con un enfoque sobre la relación entre el proceso y los resultados durante el aprentizaje asociado. La muestra (96 alumnos de “kinder” de 5 y 6 años) fue divida de manera aleatoria entre los grupos experimentales (con activación por el libro electrónico) y los grupos de control (programa normal del “kinder “). Se hizo una grabación de la segunda sesión de aprendizaje asociado del grupo experimental. Las medidas de alfabetismo emergente eran el sentido de las palabras, la conciencia fonológica y la comprensión de las historias. Los resultados más destacados indican una asociación entre el proceso de uso del e‐book (activación de los hotspots y colaboración) y los resultados educativos (alfabetismo emergente). Se nota también algunas implicaciones para los educadores y los diseñadores de libros electrónicos.     

Educational electronic book activity supports language retention among children at risk for learning disabilities

The main purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of an activity with an educational electronic book (e-book) on language retention among children at risk for learning disabilities (LD) (seven weeks after the intervention). Two modes of the educational e-book were investigated: with and without metacognitive guidance. Seventy seven kindergarteners aged 4.5–7 were randomly divided into three groups: (1) reading an e-book which included metacognitive guidance (EBM); (2) reading an e-book which did not include metacognitive guidance (EB); (3) receiving the regular kindergarten program (control). The children’s vocabulary was assessed before the intervention, immediately after the intervention (post 1) and seven weeks later (post 2). Story comprehension was assessed only following the intervention (post 1 and 2). The findings showed a long-term effect of the activity with the e-book on vocabulary. However, for story comprehension, a decrease in recall of words and quotes and an increase in the recall of main ideas from the story were found seven weeks after the activity with the e-book. No significant difference in retention was found between the two intervention groups (with and without metacognitive guidance). The implications of these results for kindergarteners at risk for LD are discussed.