By Catherine O’Brien, Class Teacher, Grade 5/6

As screen-based learning is becoming more and more ubiquitous in US schools, educational researchers are questioning whether screens are the most effective modality for student reading and learning. So far, the research has indicated that it is not. In fact, studies show that deeper, more meaningful reading occurs when a student reads in a printed format.  

This data fits with what many teachers and parents witness. Deep reading can only occur when a person can become focused on the content, losing themselves in the text for a period of time, all while reacting internally to what they are reading and making inferences. While this is certainly possible with a digital text, it is much, much easier with a printed one for a number of reasons.  

A printed text offers very few opportunities for distraction, whereas even the simplest, most-print-like digital text (like a Kindle) typically includes many buttons that can be clicked and options to explore, from viewing options to annotating tools. While these functionalities may be of use to a mature adult reader, young people are inherently curious and eager to try every option. The opportunities for distraction multiply exponentially when a student is asked to read a text on a device not specifically designed for reading, such as a tablet or laptop, which offers the tempting opportunity to open any number of unrelated webpages, accessing email or messaging apps, and play online games.  In addition, many websites, even educational ones, come with photo and video advertisements, which easily distract the most diligent student researchers.  

A printed text eliminates these elements of distraction while also giving teachers (and parents) the ability to easily monitor a child’s progress and ensure that they are on task. Being independent from electrical outlets, internet connectivity and user ability, using printed texts also means that classroom time is not taken up by the inevitable tech issues and troubleshooting that come with using tech in the classroom. In addition, the simple act of turning a page, rather than scrolling, has been shown to improve comprehension.  

At the Upper Valley Waldorf School, classrooms are free of technological distraction. Students read physical books and printed articles and write and draw on paper. In middle school, students begin practicing typing at home and are expected to type their longer written work once they’ve had some practice. However, this work always takes place at home, so teachers maintain the ability to effectively monitor the learning and focus of their entire class during a lesson. The result is classes of students who can readily lose themselves in a book, participate in class discussions about a text and more easily maintain focus during lessons. Rather than quietly doing something unrelated on a device, a distracted or particularly quiet student can be quickly noticed by a teacher and brought back to their task or given an extension task, losing relatively little learning time.