February 13 2024- A recently published meta-analysis suggests that digital reading may have an adverse impact on children’s reading comprehension skills. While digital reading does enhance comprehension, the study indicates that the positive effect is six to seven times smaller compared to print reading. Digital texts, often shorter and of lower linguistic quality, include social media chats and blogs. Additionally, devices like phones and computers expose readers to distractions from social media, YouTube, and video games. The authors recommend limiting children’s exposure to digital content, suggesting a focus on printed works or utilizing basic e-readers with ink screens.
https://bigthink.com/the-present/digital-reading-fails-kids/
