Tech Helps with Literacy

Is it a good idea to have preschoolers watching educational videos and participating in digital games? Yes, according to a study of the Ready to Learn program, which involved approximately 400 preschoolers. It was found that the students in the program were better prepared for Kindergarten than those who were not in Ready to Learn.  The students using the digital learning tools outscored those in the control group in areas such as: “naming letters, knowing the letter sounds, recognizing letters in the student’s own name”, and “knowledge of story and print concepts”. The study was conducted by the Center for Children & Technology - Education Development Center and SRI International on behalf of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The program is designed to help students age 2-8 with literacy skills by using media tools to enhance the curriculum.