Why Print?
A Short Guide to the Power of Printed Texts for Educators and Parents
Reading printed texts isn't just an old-school, romanticized practice; when it comes to learning, research shows it's often uniquely powerful when compared to electronic texts.
According to Research, Students Who Read a Printed Text vs. an Electronic Text Often:
comprehend and retain more information
engage in deeper and more fluid reading
are more likely to enjoy reading and be above-average readers
test higher
focus better
Added Common-Sense Benefits:
less device-based distraction
students can learn the importance of being tech-intentional
less screen time, which at its basic level can disrupt sleep and exacerbate eye problems like nearsightedness
Teachers Can Help
Although some texts are only available digitally, teachers can plan lessons and assign homework that embrace printed texts when possible. Teachers can also continue to fill their classroom libraries with print books and share the research on the unique, research-based advantages of printed texts vs. electronic ones with parents, administrators, and other teachers.
Parents Can Help
Parents are well-served to read print when possible at home and seek out printed texts via libraries and affordable sources like paperbackswap.com. Parents can also speak to their child’s teacher or Principal about the power of printed texts (share this post!) and request that their child read print when possible in school.
The Bottom Line
Digital texts can surely be useful to many classrooms and households, and they may someday be designed in ways that overcome their science-based shortcomings. Nonetheless, it’s empowering for parents, caregivers,
Read On!
The Reading Brain in the Digital Age: The Science of Paper Versus Screens, by Ferris Jabr
This article summarizes the research on reading paper vs. screens and explains how our brains may interpret the physicality of books so that we comprehend and retain information in them better.
Screen Time Up as Reading Scores Drop. Is There a Link? by Sarah D. Sparks
This EdWeek article shares specific data on the link between screen time in class and lower literacy scores on the 2019 Nation’s Report Card.
Reading Across Mediums: Effects of Reading Digital and Print Texts on Comprehension and Calibration, by Laura M. Singer and Patricia A. Alexander
This 2016 scholarly article summarizes a research study conducted on 90 college students who read texts in both print and digital formats; those who read print “recalled key points linked to the main idea and other relevant information better.”
The Case Against E-readers: Why Reading Paper Books is Better for Your Mind, by Naomi S. Baron
This article, written by a linguistics professor, researcher, and author, gives a conversational look at why print is uniquely powerful for learning. One stand out stat: over 92 percent of the readers the author studied said they, “concentrate best when reading a hard copy.”
Don't Throw Away Your Printed Books: A Meta-Analysis on the Effects of Reading Media on Reading Comprehension, by Pablo Delgado, et al.
This scholarly analysis finds that “paper-based reading yields better comprehension outcomes than digital-based reading.” It also concludes that, “Although the current results suggest that paper-based reading should be favoured over digital-based reading, it is unrealistic to recommend avoiding digital devices. Nevertheless, ignoring the evidence of a robust screen inferiority effect may mislead political and educational decisions, and even worse, it could prevent readers from fully benefiting from their reading comprehension abilities and keep children from developing these skills in the first place.”
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