Reading & Literacy Report Roundup

Research Report: Reading

“Reading From Paper Compared to Screens: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis”
By Benjamin Herold — April 16, 2019 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

A meta-analysis of nearly three-dozen research studies published over the past decade finds that reading from paper has a small, statistically significant benefit on reading performance.

One likely reason: Readers using screens tend to think they’re processing and understanding texts better then they actually are.

Furthermore, according to University of North Dakota assistant education professor Virginia Clinton, readers using paper saw better performance without having to expend more time or effort. Her findings were presented at the American Educational Research Association this month.

Related Tags:

A version of this article appeared in the April 17, 2019 edition of Education Week as Reading

Events

This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Reading & Literacy Webinar
Improve Reading Comprehension: Three Tools for Working Memory Challenges
Discover three working memory workarounds to help your students improve reading comprehension and empower them on their reading journey.
Content provided by Solution Tree
Recruitment & Retention Webinar EdRecruiter 2026 Survey Results: How School Districts are Finding and Keeping Talent
Discover the latest K-12 hiring trends from EdWeek’s nationwide survey of job seekers and district HR professionals.
This content is provided by our sponsor. It is not written by and does not necessarily reflect the views of Education Week's editorial staff.
Sponsor
Professional Development Webinar
Recalibrating PLCs for Student Growth in the New Year
Get advice from K-12 leaders on resetting your PLCs for spring by utilizing winter assessment data and aligning PLC work with MTSS cycles.
Content provided by Otus

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Reading & Literacy How to Build a Reading Block: Two Teachers Share Their Approaches
Studies don't prescribe how best to knit together components of reading—leaving it up to teachers to devise.
7 min read
Students in Anjanette McNeely's class work on their letters during a reading block at Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2025.
What's the best way to attend to all the elements of the 'science of reading' in a literacy block? Research doesn't specify a specific answer, but kindergarten teacher Anjanette McNeely has designed hers to incorporate foundational skills, content, and writing. McNeely's class works on their letters at Windridge Elementary School in Kaysville, Utah, on Dec. 4, 2025.
Niki Chan Wylie for Education Week
Reading & Literacy Many Teens Lack Basic Reading Skills. These Teachers Are Trying to Change That
Schools are building programs to provide sustained reading support to older students.
6 min read
Loralyn LaBombard, a reading specialist, reads “Among the Hidden” by Margaret Peterson Haddix with a group of students in a 7th grading reading class at Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H., on Oct. 29, 2025.
Loralyn LaBombard, a reading specialist, reads <i>Among the Hidden</i> by Margaret Peterson Haddix with a group of students in a 7th grade reading class at Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H., on Oct. 29, 2025. Nationally, experts say there is a lack of resources available to help middle and high school students learn basic reading skills.
Sophie Park for Education Week
Reading & Literacy 4 Tips for Supporting Older Struggling Readers, From Researchers and Experts
No matter the age, reading draws on the same underlying skills. But teens may need different supports.
5 min read
Photo illustration of a female teen hanging from the very top of a tall stack of books. The background is a sky with clouds.
iStock/Getty
Reading & Literacy Secondary Students Are Struggling With Reading, Too. A Look at the Landscape
Exclusive survey findings outline how educators perceive the obstacles affecting older students' reading.
5 min read
Students attend Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H. on Oct. 29, 2025. Bow Memorial School is a middle school that has developed a systematic approach to addressing foundational reading gaps in middle school students.
New data show that many educators report that middle and high school students struggle with aspects of foundational literacy. At Bow Memorial School in Bow, N.H., pictured on Oct. 29, 2025, students work with reading specialist Loralyn LaBombard, who has helped pioneer a systematic approach to addressing foundational reading gaps in grades 5 to 8.
Sophie Park for Education Week