23rd December 2015 1:00
By Blue Tutors
New research has shown that boys benefit from the use of Ebooks in helping them to read. The study carried out by The National Literacy Trust has shown that many boys prefer reading via Ebooks, and were less likely to struggle with reading when using the technology. Boys who read stories on Ebooks were more likely to read for longer, and to say that reading was “cool”. The results show that boys had a significantly bigger attitude change towards reading after using Ebook technology than girls.
The National Literacy Trust’s study was based on a survey of 468 pupils at 40 schools across the UK who participated in the e-reading project. Children taking part in the scheme saw their reading levels increase by an average of 8 months, although the results were more positive for boys. The reading levels of boys taking part in the study improved by about 8.4 months, while the reading levels of girls improved by about 7.2 months. The study also showed that using Ebooks improved the “image” of reading, with boys twice as likely to describe reading as “cool” by the end of the project.
The National Literacy Trust has said that the differences in responses between boys and girls can be attributed in part to gender stereotyping when it comes to reading. Boys feel less comfortable being seen with a book, and prefer to be seen using technology, prompting a 22 per cent rise in the number of boys who read for an hour or longer. The charity said that the results went beyond the novelty of using new technology, and gave students a way to engage with reading for pleasure. They noted that children who read outside of school are much more likely to do well academically, and concluded that schools should make use of technologies to find new ways of engaging students.