E-books can be a great resource for improving literacy and engaging children in the reading experience, according to a recent article in the Star Tribune, but adult interaction and guidance needs to be a part of that experience, says Lori Helman, associate professor of literacy education and co-director of the Minnesota Center for Reading Research. She says human relations are crucial to child development.
“We need a lot of opportunities for face-to-face interaction so children can learn what it means to be human,” she says in the article. “A developing person, whether they’re 2 or 7, needs to be able to ask questions and check out their understanding. And no app can be responsive to all the questions and thoughts and wonderings that a young person needs. You need people.”
Helman believes, however, that apps and e-books can improve access to books and put more resources at their fingertips.
“If we’re using these things as little babysitters, I think kids will get tired of them,” she says. “But if we use them to enhance our interaction, imagine the great conversation that could spark.”
See the full story here.