Online tools such as e-books, social media platforms and book blogs have introduced new ways for young people to engage with reading, but also bring with them some concerns that deserve careful consideration. Parents and teachers must ask themselves how to maximise the benefits of digital reading while minimising potential drawbacks.

Understanding the digital reading boom

Many young readers access and interact with literature using digital devices. Social media platforms have given rise to new trends such as BookTok and Bookstagram. These are literary communities created and managed by social media influencers to exchange reviews, suggestions and thoughts about books and literature. Accessing books and information about them in this way can make reading more social and participatory and appealing to younger people, who are comfortable in digital environments.

Yet, it's important to also take a critical look at online reading and book communities. The content promoted on online communities is often fast-paced and bite-sized, which can lead to superficial engagement with literature. In addition, book recommendations and promotion on these platforms are often driven by influencers and algorithms rather than literary merit, and popularity on social media can prevail over critical thinking or representation of different perspectives.

Why read on paper?

Though reading on digital devices has appeal for young readers, schools and families should also encourage reading on paper for its multiple advantages. During early years development, adult support when reading printed books has more positive impact on child’s comprehension than interactive features of digital texts.

Paper is also preferable for long-form informational reading, which is linked with deeper comprehension and better information retention – long-form informational texts are essential to building concentration, vocabulary and memory. Research shows that comprehension can be 6 to 8 times greater when reading is done on paper rather than on digital devices.

Finding a balance between paper and digital formats

It is crucial that schools and school libraries continue to motivate pupils to read paper books, and to set time apart for it in the curriculum. Both paper and digital formats can be seen as beneficial, but in different ways – reading on paper can be complemented with age-appropriate digital reading activities, cultivating children’s interest in literature and love for reading in general.    

Teachers can try out activities that combine reading on paper with digital tools:

• After a reading assignment, ask pupils to share their book reviews via an online tool such as Padlet. This way the reviews can also be shared with partner classes (e.g. via eTwinning).
• Ask pupils to write an alternative ending for a book or a ‘newsflash’ on a book character’s life five years later, to be published on the class’s literature blog. Pupils can compare and discuss the different ideas developed by their classmates.
• Connect reading assignments with other subjects. Pupils might read a story from a certain country or culture, and research more information on the country during their geography lesson to deepen their understanding.
• Use the ‘book trailer’ method to bring stories from the page to the screen, presented in the following video:

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If you're interested in learning more, join the eTwinning group on Literacy, media literacy and critical thinking.