Language abilities in the early years have a long-lasting influence on children’s learning in school and later life. However, a considerable number of children enter school with weak language skills.
Because e-books are increasingly considered an effective tool to narrow the gap, a meta-analysis published in the Educational Research Review investigated the effects of e-books on language support in early childhood education and care (ECEC).
The meta-analysis evaluated the effectiveness of e-book reading in ECEC on children’s language development in comparison to two conditions: regular childcare without e-books, and print book reading in classrooms.
After reviewing the studies published between 2000 and 2018 in English or German, the review identified 17 studies that met the inclusion criteria, such as involving at least 10 children, consisting of typically-developing and at-risk children (excluding children with developmental disorders), and using the society-spoken language (excluding a foreign language).
