Technology was our salvation during lockdown.
Online lessons, digital activities and smartphone apps kept children learning when they couldn’t be in the classroom.
Video conferencing enabled families to keep in touch with us and each other, and screens kept children entertained while get-togethers with friends were off the agenda.
The children adapted brilliantly to the virtual world. However, our enforced move to remote learning could be having some unintended consequences. An over-reliance on technology can shorten the attention span, and that’s something we’ve noticed now the pupils are back at school.
Children have become used to a constant stream of video clips and sound bites which they click, tap, like and swipe their way through at speed. Children may now be digital experts, but they’re finding it harder to focus on reading for a sustained length of time.
For children who are accustomed to moving rapidly from one visual stimulus to the next, sitting in a quiet corner with a book is actually quite a challenge. The situation hasn’t been helped by Covid-19 restrictions closing library doors and making book sharing all but impossible.
If pupils are unable to read longer pieces of text, they are going to find it harder to access other elements of their learning further down the line. They will also miss out on one of life’s great pleasures, the enjoyment of a good book.
The positive news is that there are some simple yet effective strategies to help children reboot their powers of concentration and improve their sustained reading.
Mix online with offline
There is no benefit in ditching the screens entirely, in fact children’s digital literacy can boost their offline literacy if handled carefully.
In our guided reading sessions we divide children into three groups, one group reads an online text, another reads a book around the same subject and a third does follow-up work on the content.
These groups rotate so everyone has the opportunity to read in different ways and develop their understanding of what they have read.
Using this blended approach helps children access and process information and is a great way to bridge the transition from screen to paper.
Make it manageable
For children used to a fast-paced information feed, long blocks of text can look daunting, so it’s a good idea to break content down into manageable chunks. This can be achieved by giving the child a highlighter pen and asking them to find words, or getting them to summarise a paragraph they have just read.
Smaller chunks of time are easier to manage too, such as reading for fifteen minutes followed by a break. Our pupils enjoy being asked to scan and skim short pieces of text. We can then help the children consolidate those skills by gradually moving to longer extracts of writing.
Boost reading speed
Silent reading is an important skill but slower readers can be easily discouraged, particularly when they are used to accessing visual content at the touch of a screen.
However, it’s not always that easy to spot if a child is having difficulties reading alone. One of the assessment tools we use tracks a child’s eye movements as they read.
The technology analyses how long a child’s eyes rest on one word, and how quickly their eyes move forwards and backwards across a series of words.
This helps us see which children may need additional interventions to help them improve their reading speed so they can read more text for longer.
Encourage shared reading
A sure-fire way to engage children in reading is to get them talking about books. Paired reading with time built in for discussion enables children to start questioning facts and enjoying stories together.
Asking children about their favourite books brings new ideas to the class, and when a child recommends a book to a friend, that’s a powerful thing.
As the world opens up, there will be more opportunities for children to take part in library reading challenges, book fairs and competitions. We have also been involving parents by suggesting ways they can get their children excited about reading, and create a buzz around books.
This past year has seen children’s technology skills come on in leaps and bounds. By making reading accessible, engaging and fun, we can make sure their literacy skills grow stronger too.
Cathy Prole is deputy head at St Michael’s C of E Primary School in Flixton, Manchester. The school uses Lexplore Interventions to help pupils improve their reading fluency and sustain reading levels. You can find out more at lexplore.com.
