The current generation of school-age children has grown up with technology and appears poised to adapt to digital reading. One small case study that observed second graders using a digital reading device found that they valued the tools and features of ebooks. They accessed the built-in dictionary to look up words, activated the text-to-speech feature to listen to words they found difficult, and jotted digital notes as they read. The teacher later reviewed students’ notes to gain insight into their reading behaviors and comprehension skills to better support their individual needs as emerging readers. Ebooks, the researcher concluded, “have the potential to unveil an array of new teaching and learning possibilities as traditional and new literacy skills are integrated in meaningful ways” (Larson, 2010, p. 21). WIDE ASSORTMENT OF HIGH-INTEREST, HIGH-QUALITY BOOKS “Because students will not read if they are uninspired by the materials provided; because they must read for their own purposes in order to sustain their motivation; and because they must have materials available that they can read when they decide to read, appeal is a crucial element of a free reading program” (Pilgreen, 2000, p. 10). An independent reading library program should appeal to a broad range of interests and feature both fiction and nonfiction titles in a variety of genres to expose emerging readers to different types of text, from mysteries to memoirs, biographies to science fiction (Fountas & Pinnell, 2012). By interacting with an array of genres, students learn the unique characteristics of each and improve their literacy skills. An independent reading library should also be culturally responsive, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences that students bring to school. “Students’ experiences, cultural backgrounds, and interests should be represented as well as books that positively depict many cultural and ethnic groups” (Worthy & Roser, 2010, p. 244). In their research with a bilingual Grade 5 class, they found that students enjoyed reading the same books in both English and their native Spanish to compare the versions and check their understanding.
SCHOLASTIC LITERACY PRO FOUNDATION PAPER 11
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