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Literature Review Assignment 2

Danielle Peters, Nicole Moxey, Natalie Roberts, and Heather Lennie

ETEC 500 65C

UBC MET Vancouver

Sunah Cho

March 18, 2017

Word Count: 758

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Literature Review

Introduction

As we continue to integrate technology into classrooms, a variety of iPad apps are available to

improve the reading level of struggling readers. The number of students reading below grade

level is concerning and needs to be addressed. According to the National Center for Education

Statistics 20ll, 51% of African American, 49% of Hispanic, and 53% of Native American

fourth-grade students were reading below basic level (as cited in Musti-Rao, Lo, & Plati, 2015).

Technology has been shown to supplement traditional literacy activities to ensure that

fundamental building blocks are attained by readers at the appropriate grade level (Blachowicz,

Bates, & Berne, 2009). The implementation of iPads for student-centred literacy remediation can

effectively increase student engagement and motivation. iPads have motivated children to learn,

provided opportunities for independent work and raised children’s concentration levels

(D’Agostino, Rodgers, Harmey, & Brownfield, 2015).

Building a solid literacy foundation

A summary report produced by the Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network

(2009) identified approximately 42% of Canadian adults as lacking the literacy skills needed to

effectively function in today’s society. Knowing that the building blocks of literacy are

developed in the early years (Brown, 2014), it is imperative that children are receiving effective

literacy intervention as soon as possible. “Reading proficiency is arguably the most important

academic skill needed for school success. Students who fail to acquire basic reading skills in
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primary grades fall further behind their peers in intermediate and later grades” (Musti-Rao et al.,

2015).

Research lacking on benefits of iPad integration

From our review of the literature, there are very few research studies that address reading

interventions using technology with Canadian primary students. “There is a critical need,

according to national policy statements in the United States, to integrate information and

communication technologies into instruction, and yet research about the effect of such

integration on the literacy learning of at-risk populations is scant” (D’Agostino et al., 2016).

Since many students are turning to technology, there is an increasing need to understand if and

how apps can improve students’ reading level. The purpose of our research is to support literacy

intervention using iPad apps with primary-aged (K-3) children to improve struggling readers

performance benchmarks over one school year.

Increasing student motivation and performance through the implementation of iPads and

apps into the classroom

One of the challenges associated with assisting struggling readers is increasing student

motivation and engagement using traditional literacy interventions. While not specifically

looking at iPads, the research study by Blachowicz et al. (2009) demonstrated that in first grade

classrooms students displayed increased motivation and on task behaviours when utilizing

technology during reading interventions. These measures also resulted in increased student

performance scores on the Dynamic Indicators of Early Literacy Skills. More recent research
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using iPads with struggling readers in grade one classrooms conducted by Musti-Rao et al.

(2015) discovered that, ​“​The apps provide students with multiple opportunities to practice the

skill (i.e., repetition), and have the capability to provide immediate feedback and reinforcement.

Specifically, research examining the effectiveness of engaging with these iPad apps over more

traditional methods of instruction is warranted.”

With the shift in education towards individualized, student-centered learning, iPad apps can also

provide differentiated and engaging instruction to develop each child’s personalized learning

needs. Northrop and Killeen (2013), applied previous research by Duke and Pearson (2002)

demonstrating the gradual release of responsibility model. This model is a teaching style which

scaffolds the independence of the learner and can be used to integrate iPads into the classroom

effectively for struggling readers. According to Raggi and Chronis (2006) the visual and tactile

capabilities of the touch screen promoted a greater sense of being in control of their learning.

They found the tactile manipulative touch screen promotes the use of several modalities (as cited

in McClanahan, Williams, Kennedy, & Tate, 2012). In the case-study post-interview, the

participant stated that, “If I would have learned [sic] how to do these things when I first started

school, I wouldn’t have had such a hard time.” It must be noted that this was a single case study.

Conclusion

Through our review of the literature, one commonality is that technology supporting struggling

readers has a positive effect on improving students’ reading level in the primary grades.

According to Leu at al. 2004, “Children need to become proficient in the new literacies of
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today’s technologies in order to become fully literate (as cited in D’Agostino et al., 2015). Based

on the literature review, it is evident that more information regarding the direct impact of iPad

application use on struggling readers in primary grades is needed.

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References

Blachowicz, C., Bates, A., Berne, J. (2009) Technology and at-risk young readers and their

classrooms. ​Reading Psychology,​ 30(5): 387-411.

Brown, C. S. (2014). Language and literacy development in the early years: Foundational skills

that support emergent readers.​ Language and Literacy Spectrum​, 24, 35-49.

D'Agostino, J. V., Rodgers, E., Harmey, S., & Brownfield, K. (2016). Introducing an iPad App

into Literacy Instruction for Struggling Readers: Teacher Perceptions and Student

Outcomes. ​Journal Of Early Childhood Literacy​, ​16​(4), 522-548.

Jamieson, D.G. (2009). ​Canada's National Strategy for Early Literacy​ [PDF file]. Retrieved from

https://www.strongstart.ca/wp-content/uploads/National-Strategy-for-Early-Literacy.pdf

McClanahan, B., Williams, K., Kennedy, E., & Tate, S. (2012). ​A breakthrough for Josh: How

use of an iPad facilitated reading improvement​. Boston: Springer US.

Musti-Rao, S., Lo, Y., & Plati, E. (2015). Using an iPad® app to improve sight word reading

fluency for at-risk first graders.​ Remedial and Special Education, 36​(3), 154-166.

Northrop L., & Killeen E. (2013). A framework for using iPads to build early literacy skills.

Reading Teacher​, 66, 531–537.