For Complex Texts, the Brain Prefers Paper ▬ ASCD

@ASCD

Show & Tell: A Video Column / For Complex Texts, the Brain Prefers Paper

ASCD: May 2020 by Douglas Fisher and Nancy Frey

When a text requires some struggle, print rules! 

We can do many powerful things with technology today that were unimaginable a decade ago. It's not an exaggeration to say that information access is at an all-time high, mainly because of the Internet. A simple online search can reveal thousands, or even more, sources that can be read and discussed online, including reports, articles, and entire books.

Given the unprecedented access to information the Internet provides, there's a significant push to have students read digitally in school. In addition to saving money and trees, many argue, digital reading is no longer just a skill youth will need in the future, but one they need to master now. We agree; reading digitally is an important skill, one that's ubiquitous in our society.

But this issue of Educational Leadership is about the brain and the educational decisions we make based on what is known about its cognitive, psychological, and emotional functions. And there's a body of evidence to suggest that when it comes to complex texts, the brain prefers paper.

The Myth of "Changed Brains"

Research indicates that, when a text is "comfortable"—easy for a student to read and understand—digital versions work just fine and are a good option. But when it comes to reading complex texts—the type that don't give up their meanings easily—readers understand and perform better when they read on paper.

Based on their review of 36 empirical studies, Singer and Alexander noted that texts fewer than 500 words were understood at about the same level whether consumed in print or digital formats. But as the text length increased, comprehension of texts in digital formats suffered. Similarly, they found that students performed around the same on general understanding questions about texts read online or in print. However, print readers did better than digital readers on questions probing for more detailed, nuanced information.

═════════►

And every brain still needs to be taught to read anew. There's no reading gene that passes from one generation to the next. Brains have to learn to read—and some of the texts those brains encounter will provoke struggle. We mean the good kind of struggle, when you have to reread, talk with others, revise your thinking, and so on.  READ MORE ➤➤

Automatic Readability Checker

Based on 7 readability formulas:

Grade Level: 11

Reading Level: fairly difficult to read.

Reader's Age: 15-17 yrs. old

(Tenth to Eleventh graders)