How Linguistically Diverse Students Use Digital and Traditional Texts Together to Mediate Literacy Development

• In Event: Poster Session 5
  In Poster Session: Literacy Research Issues in the 21st Century

Abstract

Our study examines how different text formats may afford or constrain learning opportunities in a cross-age peer reading program in which linguistically diverse kindergartners and fourth-graders read digital and paper texts together. We examined the students’ engagement with digital and paper texts, and analyzed the quality and depth of students’ interaction surrounding different text types. We found that quantitatively, students were equally engaged with both types of text; however, the quality of their engagement differed. Students interacted more with their peers when using traditional text, engaging in more and longer episodes of meaning making, thus creating opportunities for producing oral language, which has been found to be have implications for language and literacy learning.

Authors

• Melinda E. Martin-Beltran, University of Maryland - College Park

• Johanna M. Tigert, University of Maryland - College Park

• Rebecca Deffes Silverman, University of Maryland - College Park

• Megan Madigan Peercy, University of Maryland - College Park