Digital books, adult mediation, and language and emergent literacy. A literature review
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The influence of digital books on adult mediation and emergent literacy has joined the ongoing debate regarding the role of shared reading of print books. However, a systematic evaluation of the enhancements available in digital books, participants’ study conditions, and instructional methods in interventions is still lacking. This review analysed studies from the last decade on digital books, language skills, and adult mediation, considering these factors. A total of 32 articles from WOS and Scopus were reviewed. The findings indicated a widespread use of enhancements supporting print knowledge; research focused on interactions promoted by the adult reader and the assessment of children’s vocabulary and comprehension. Additionally, a slight superiority of digital books over print books and of enhanced digital books over basic ones was observed for children’s lexico-semantic skills and the interactive dimension of adult input. Book distribution and usage instructions were the most common instructional procedures. These findings reveal efforts to support adult mediation and children through digital books. The implications are relevant for families, educators, researchers, and software developers interested in promoting adult mediation and language skills through digital books.
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