Learning From Rising Sixth Grade Readers: How Nooks Shaped Students’ Reading Behaviors During a Summer Independent Reading Initiative

Chapman, Sherry

Mitchell, C. (2015). Learning from rising sixth grade readers: How nooks shaped students’ reading behaviors during a summer independent reading initiative. Literacy Research and Instruction, 1-24.

https://www-tandfonline-com.libaccess.sjlibrary.org/doi/pdf/10.1080/19388071.2015.1061623?needAccess=true

Summary: This article is on a small study using Nooks loaded with 75 titles in a summer reading program for struggling sixth grade readers. The implications suggest that although this is a limited study, there is a perception that the electronic device providing access to a variety of ebook titles promotes reading for pleasure and has the potential to support and even promote literacy. Evaluation: I am struggling to get ebook access for my middle school students, and this article makes a good argument for student access to ebooks in spite of cost. Although it focuses on a project to prevent summer slide, the outcome can apply to all digital forms of reading and particularly access to ebooks all year. The responses from students show that a student will take a Nook loaded with 75 books everywhere with them all summer. They would not carry around 75 hard copy books. When they finish a book, they can easily access the next. Since they don’t know how long each book is, the result is sometimes reading a 400 page book they would not otherwise have read. I like the idea of this project and wish that my school district would let students keep their devices over the summer or create a reader device checkout system with an array of titles for those who want to read. This will be one of my quests in the coming year. I would love to develop a program like this