For Pike Parents

Online Reading

In a recent issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education, Matthew Kirschenbaum wrote an inspiring article about online reading and computer literacy. My letter to the Editor was published in a subsequent issue of the magazine. I reproduce it below for you with links to online stories. Let me know your thoughts or of any other sites that are inspiring and appropriate.

-Susan Hauptman

To the Editor:
    After reading “How Reading is Being Reimagined” (The Chronicle Review, December 7), I realized how much I have been struggling with this very issue of electronic reading, particularly as it relates to young children. It is a given that games and learning on the computer are motivating, entertaining, and just plain fun for children. Little animals and people pop up, sing songs, and do a dance at the click of a mouse.
     As a reading specialist, I sometimes feel as if I am in competition with these magical and enthralling entertainments. I have been reluctant to add computers to my reading room because I have always believed that no machine can teach reading better than a human being can. There is something about the personal immediacy, the direct and appropriate instruction, and the positive reinforcement that I cannot let go of in terms of the teaching of reading. Yet I am starting to understand that it is important to have students read on the computer, once they are taught to read.
    I guess I have my head in the proverbial sand of yore in terms of reading materials. Once our students have been taught to read, they probably should spend time reading electronically. I used to believe that nothing beats a book in the hand, but now a Kindle in the hand might work just as well. If I “reimagine” my reading room, I envision a bank of computers in it for reading stories. Indeed, there are many wonderful websites that have stories on them to read right now, and I am beginning to realize that children need to read on both paper and computers. Using one does not diminish the importance of the other. In fact, they probably enhance each other.
    I have always suggested to parents that children read not only books, but also magazines, menus, food labels, and anything else in their environment, because the keys to successful reading are flexibility and application. I now should add electronic reading to my list of suggestions. 
    But here is my biggest worry: parents and teachers may be tempted to forgo the reading of paper books to children, allowing computers to do the job. Children are already being read to less and less, and I worry that online reading may replace the bedtime or anytime story. I do not believe that reading on an electronic device will ever replace the importance and intimacy of sitting close together and sharing a paper book with a child.

Susan Hauptman
Reading Specialist
The Pike School
Andover, MA.


This Web site has stories for younger students to read. They can click on a word and a voice will read the word.
http://www.magickeys.com/books

These stories are from Between the Lions from PBS Kids. It is a wonderful site where a story is read by a voice and words are highlighted in chunks as the story is read.
http://pbskids.org/lions/stories.html

This is a nice site with stories for children to read on their own. Reading level: Grades 1-2.
http://www.sundhagen.com/babbooks/

This site has short books for Grade 1 students to read. It provides excellent practice for beginning readers.
http://www.tampareads.com/books-ol/index-ol.htm

This is a good site with controlled phonic texts for beginning readers.
http://www.starfall.com/n/level-a/learn-to-read/load.htm?fcountrues/nationalities

If you or your child likes Dr. Seuss books, you will enjoy exploring this site. There are stories and games.
http://www.seussville.com/

This is a wonderful BBC site that has stories for children to read along with. It also allows you to print out the words of the story as you wish.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/cbeebies/fimbles/comfycorner/

This interactive site allows children to name and select characters for the story. The story is to be read both by the student and a voice on the site.
http://www.storyplace.org/eel/other.asp

There are seven stories for students to read. Reading level: Grade 2+
http://www.readroom.com/RRoom/BooksRead/BookRead.htm

This is a beautiful collection of tales from around the world for students to read on their own. There are over 20 countries/nationalities represented. Reading level: Grade 2+
http://www.fables.org/crown_thistle/

This site has online stories with audio for children to listen to or read on their own.
http://repeatafterus.com/genre.php?g=childrensstories&s=a&PHPSESSID=4cf2457e31b4e5ba39ee4d4710e2dfb4

This site has child-friendly stories for children to read on their own. Some have illustrations, others do not.
http://www.ipl.org/div/kidspace/storyhour/

There are 2 sections on this site. The first one has many Beatrix Potter books for children to read on their own. The second section has the complete and unabridged versions of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, The Frog Prince, and many Grimms’ Fairy Tales for children to listen to.
http://wiredforbooks.org/kids.htm

Click on Rhymes and Poetry and Reading and Writing. Under Reading and Writing, scroll down and  click on Stories. These are lovely stories for children to read on their own. Reading Level: end of Grade 1-Grade 2+.
http://www.mothergoosecaboose.com/indexfr.html

There are many free stories and poems on a wide range of reading levels on this site for children to read on their own. Some have free audio; some might be a bit scary.
http://www.candlelightstories.com/

This folklore site contains retellings of American folktales, Native American myths and legends, tall tales, weather folklore, and ghost stories from each and every one of the 50 United States. Students can read about famous characters like Paul Bunyan, Pecos Bill, Daniel Boone, and many more. There are also nursery rhymes, folk songs, and animal tales.
http://www.americanfolklore.net/