Chapter 16 – Electronic texts

Consider the following statements and click to reveal the answer.

1. Give three examples of everyday situations in which you may need to read an electronic text.

Answer:

Examples of everyday situations in which you may need to read an electronic text include:

  • Reading a web page;
  • Reading a pdf document;
  • Reading a text message on your mobile phone or the instructions on an ATM screen.

2. What are the three main characteristics that make electronic texts different from traditional print-media texts?

Answer:

The three main characteristics that make electronic texts different from traditional print-media texts are:

  • They are interactive;
  • They have different structures;
  • They employ special symbols (icons/features).

3. What implications do these differences have for the teaching of literacy?

Answer:

The implications these differences have for the teaching of literacy are that teachers must ensure that children have access to both paper-based and electronic texts in order to develop their reading skills and digital literacy, and that they have opportunities to write in both media for a range of purposes and audiences.