Where Do Children's Books Fit in the Digital World?
Posted: Thursday, August 12, 2010
by Scott Constable
cpglobalsolutions
Before there was Facebook, Twitter and all the other sites, kids had no interest in sitting in front of a computer. Now a days kids sit in front of computers hour after hour. Is all this time in front of a computer doing anything positive for their academic development?
While it is true that all reading is good, it is not true that all reading is equal. Reading online will help them become experts at decoding small pieces of information. It will not help them to develop critical skills needed to analyze large bits of information. Information such as essays and reports that all prospective employers like to see in the hiring process.
When they sit down and read a book, they are developing what the experts call "deep" reading. You may now be asking yourself, what is deep reading? These are the skills your child will develop from reading a book. A few of the skills that they will be developing are concentration, critical thinking, comprehension, executive function and perseverance. Now lets briefly discover what these skills will mean to your child.
1. Concentration : A book will not be finished in one day so they will need to concentrate to remember the characters and story.
2. Critical Thinking : Without even realizing it, your child is asking themselves questions about what is being said in the book.
3. Comprehension : You child is building their knowledge base every time that they read.
4. Executive Function : Your child must focus so they can remember, organize and understand their thoughts.
5. Perseverance : Books are not about immediate satisfaction, they must keep going to reach the end.
In conclusion, while all reading is good, there is no substitute for picking up a book and reading it. This in no way means to keep them off the computer. They are learning valuable skills there also, but be sure to make time for your child to sit down and read a book.
I realize how frustrating it can be getting a child to read. While this can be stressful it can also be a fun and bonding experience. Use this difficult time to create something special. I am a father of 4 children so I can relate to this challenging time. Don't miss out on our great deals currently on special at our website.
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)ScottI grew up in a home with a library. It carried over to my own home having a library. I was read to every night as a child. It carried over to my reading every night to my children. My children read avidly from magazines such as National Geographic (15 years worth on the shelf) to the complete works of Shakespeare. None on the computer or digital books. As a result, my children have always scored way above their grade level in standardize tests and not just in reading.Your article and website are so on the money with why sitting down and reading a book, holding it in your hands, smelling the pages, and remembering the characters is so vitally important.Thank you.mwahA library in your home, that is fantastic. It sounds like your children are not just reading, they are reading some serious quality reading material. When I hear stories like this it puts a giant smile on my face. I appreciate the good feedback about the article and website. I will continue to strive to deliver quality information. Have a great weekend!
It can't be good for children to sit for so many hours in front of a computer, and I agree, nothing can be a substitute for a real book!Sitting in front of a computer is not the best kind of reading that can be done. In addition, the effects that the glare of the monitor will have on a child's eyes as they become older. When I use my computer I dim the monitor as much as possible and take a 15 minute break every hour. It does help, but I can still feel the eye strain after a couple of hours.
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