R U Reading?

“Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?” Response

Parenting a tweener, I am privileged to experience, first-hand, what new media is available to him and the new literacies that he just simply understands.  I watch my son texting his friends from his iPad with the same excitement I had in my own childhood talking for hours on a land-line.  Similar to the mom from The New York Times article, “Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?”, Deborah Konyk, I read to my son from infancy through his childhood years.  I hoped that by reading to him, he would share my love of reading.  However, as excited as he may seem at the time about a series of books, I find that I leave the school book fair with the next volume of the last book purchased so that I can continue the series. 

Most of my son’s time is spent on his iPad for the purposes of entertainment and school work.  As a rule, we restrict iPad use during the school week for entertainment, so it’s not surprising that my son is eager to do anything on his iPad.  Ranging from reading his weekly readings and library books to studying his vocabulary words and math.  Given my son’s affinity for his technology, I can certainly appreciate both sides of The New York Times article, “Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading?”.  I understand the scientist’s concern that the Internet “could rob developing readers of crucial skills” (2008, para. 41). As well as, considering the argument of cognitive neuroscientist, Ken Pugh who states,  “Reading a book, and taking the time to ruminate and make inferences and engage the imaginational processing, is more cognitively enriching, without doubt, than the short little bits that you might get if you’re into the 30-second digital mode” (2008, para. 41).

However, I also understand Nadia’s eagerness for online book reading and taking in to consideration that “Web proponents believe that strong readers on the Web may eventually surpass those who rely on books. Reading five Web sites, an op-ed article and a blog post or two, experts say, can be more enriching than reading one book” (2008, para. 42).

The New York Times article debate raises the question, what counts as literacy?  Is it test scores that rates a student’s reading and comprehension? “One early study showed that giving home Internet access to low-income students appeared to improve standardized reading test scores and school grades” (2008, para. 38). This becomes an important argument when Linda Jackson, who lead the study, made the point that these same students typically wouldn’t use their free time to read.  In addition, consider that another study of over 700 low-income students found the web to be their primary source for reading  (Motoko, 2008).   

It seems that there are enough arguments for changing literacy in response to the new media landscape where some literacy experts want to redefine reading to include the interpretation of videos or pictures (Motoko, 2008). Consider the low income study referenced earlier, “The only kind of reading that related to higher academic performance was frequent novel reading, which predicted better grades in English class and higher overall grade point averages” (2008, para. 36). Elizabeth Birr Moje stated, “novel reading was similar to what schools demand already. But on the Internet, she said, students are developing new reading skills that are neither taught nor evaluated in school”   (2008, para. 37). In the on-demand world my son is growing up in, it makes sense that he would prefer online reading.  As the article states, novel reading is time consuming whereas a reader obtains more information from a variety of viewpoints in a fraction of the time from the internet (Motoko, 2008).  

I’m convinced that literacy is evolving and that readers, such as Nadia and my son, will get the benefits of reading online as much as they would a short story or a novel.  We certainly don’t want these digital technologies to go away.  In addition, let’s also take into account the other benefits of online reading, such as, availability, improved reading comprehension scores, and as a valuable resource for folks with learning difficulties.  When I read, I image myself in the story or looking at the story from a distance.  As these tools and resources emerge and evolve, my son can virtually submerge himself into the story.  It actually sounds like fun.  If the technology excites him and he reads, then I’m all in and maybe I’ll even join in on a few experiences.

References

Motoko, R. (2008, July 27). Literacy Debate: Online, R U Really Reading? - The New York Times. Retrieved May 21, 2016, from http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/27/books/27reading.html?pagewanted=all&_r=2&