Electronic versus traditional storybooks: Relative influence on preschool children’s engagement and communication

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine children’s reading engagement and communicative initiations when they were read storybooks in varying media and reading manners, with a focus on understanding the way electronic storybooks (e-storybooks) may affect young children’s shared reading experiences. The reading behaviors of 25 preschool-aged children were observed during three storybook reading conditions: adult led e-storybook, child led e-storybook, and adult led traditional storybook. Children’s level of reading engagement and type and quantity of communicative initiations were analyzed. Findings showed that when comparing media, children displayed higher levels of persistence during the adult led e-storybook compared to the adult led traditional storybook condition. However, children produced more communicative initiations during the adult led traditional storybook condition. When comparing the reading manner between adult and child led e-storybook conditions, more labelling references were observed during the adult led condition. Results suggested that both media and manner matter.