Young children learn to read with software tools

Grader A: miss

No evidence shows that many children learned to read on their own from personal computers before school in 2009. Few young children had a personal computer, and the federal evaluation of early reading software (first grade) found no significant achievement gains.

Test: At least 20% of children learning to read independently via their own computer before grade school: no evidence of more than a small share in 2009 or 2014.

• Effectiveness of Reading and Mathematics Software Products (NCEE 2009-4041) (2009-02): First-grade reading software products did not produce significant achievement differences.

Grader B: miss

There is no evidence that many children taught themselves to read on PCs before school; early literacy software was supplementary.

Test: Share test: self-taught reading via PC well below 5% of children.

• NCES: Educational Technology in U.S. Public Schools: Fall 2008 (2010-04): Fall 2008: 3.1 students per internet-connected instructional computer; 97% of schools had computers in classrooms; 58% had laptops on carts; whole-school wireless 39%, partial 30%.