Nancy J. Keane - Tech-Savvy Reading Promotion

Tech-Savvy Reading Promotion A Toolbox for Librarians and Other Educators Nancy J. Keane Copyright 2019 Nancy J. Keane All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Keane, Nancy J., author. Keane. Keane.

Description: Santa Barbara, CA : Libraries Unlimited, an Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC, [2019] | Includes index. Identifiers: LCCN 2018057295 (print) | LCCN 2019005143 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440868511 (ebook) | ISBN 9781440868504 (paperback : acid-free paper) Subjects: LCSH: ReadingAids and devices. | ReadingTechnological innovations. | ReadingComputer-assisted instruction. Classification: LCC LB1050 (ebook) | LCC LB1050 .K378 2019 (print) | DDC 372.4028/4dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018057295 ISBN: 978-1-4408-6850-4 (paperback) 978-1-4408-6851-1 (ebook) 23 22 21 20 19 1 2 3 4 5 This book is also available as an eBook. Libraries Unlimited An Imprint of ABC-CLIO, LLC ABC-CLIO, LLC 147 Castilian Drive Santa Barbara, California 93117 www.abc-clio.com This book is printed on acid-free paper Manufactured in the United States of America This book is dedicated to my family who put up with the hours spent writing and exploring new apps and my excitement when I found new ones that I just couldnt stop talking about.

My children: Aureta and Alex My grandsons: Aiden and Jordan And to the memory of my mother, Aureta, who instilled the love of reading and writing in me at a young age. One of my earliest memories was bringing my wagon to the public library and filling it up with new stories and new lives to live. My mother and I spent hours at the library choosing our books and hours during the week reading them. Contents Acknowledgments Thank you to the many teachers and students who were always ready to let me practice on them. There were many apps that students tried out to be sure they were kid-friendly. The kids were always happy to tell me when they loved an app.

And quick to tell me when they didnt! And my assistant, Felecia Sargent, who never rolled her eyes when I said, Hey, let me show you this new app! Lets try it! A big thank you to my editor, Barbara Ittner from Libraries Unlimited. This book would never have been written without her encouragement. Introduction Reading is a foundational skill for learning, personal growth, and enjoyment. The degree to which students can read and understand text in all formats (e.g., picture, video, print) and all contexts is a key indicator of success in school and in life. As a lifelong learning skill, reading goes beyond decoding and comprehension to interpretation and development of new understandings (American Association of School Libraries, 2007, 2). Students in middle and high school spend less time reading for pleasure than elementary students.

Guthrie and Davis (2003) examined the decline of independent reading at the middle school level and found that as students go through middle school, opportunities to self-select reading materials decreased. In a study of summer reading programs, Gordon and Lu (2010) found that low-achieving students reported they did not think they had free choice in selecting reading materials. Higher-achieving students reported more control over reading choice. Krashen (2004) reported that 51 out of 54 students studied allowed free choice of independent reading books and did as well or better on reading tests as students engaged in traditional reading instruction. Stairs and Burgos (2010) found that when students were given time during the school day to read and select a book, students became more interested in reading, read more often, and reported more pages read. Miller (2012) found that allowing her students to self-select gave them power and buy-in and removed the opportunity to refuse to read at all.

Greaney and Clarke (1975) found that the increases gained through sustained silent reading appeared to last years after the program ended. When students were encouraged to self-select their reading materials, Krashen (2004) found that students sometimes did not select books appropriate to their reading level or understanding. Students needed help choosing books for independent reading. Students dont always know which books may interest them nor understand how to find out. They may need the help of adults to find just the right book that will keep them interested. But librarians and teachers dont always have the time and resources to help children select their reading books.

Parents may not have the expertise to help them. We can use technology to help them select books in a variety of different ways. Using book promotional tools helps students: Become aware of which books are available for them to read. Be informed about which books may interest them. If they are lovers of a particular genre such as fantasy, book promotional tools can share other fantasy books for them to choose from. Develop an awareness of the many books that match their interests.

Many times children automatically head for fiction books for free reading. They may not be aware of nonfiction titles that they will enjoy. Teachers and librarians who work with children know how they react to promotional materials. When introduced to a variety of books, children will usually find a book that speaks to them and makes them want to pick it up to read. We now have more tools than ever to find books that kids will enjoyprint guides, online websites, databases, etc. And now there are even apps that can guide young readers in finding books they will love.

It is estimated that by 2020, there will be more than 5 million apps in the Apple App Store. There is no way for anyone to be able to use all the apps or even keep up with the number being created. Many apps begin as free apps and may become paid apps when they become popular. And many apps disappear every day. Some of my favorites have disappeared in the time it has taken to write this book. Many of the apps that appear each day start out with a particular use in mind.

Whenever I explore a new app, my first question is How can I use this for book promotion? I find many apps that may be used to create the same promotion (posters, videos, podcasts), and it is up to personal choice as to which is used. Some video editors make excellent videos for use on TV or YouTube. They allow extensive editing capability and special effects for when you want a high-quality video. But others can make quick videos to use on the fly when production value is not the top priority. Still others allow for real-time live video streaming. The one you choose is based on how you will use the final product and how comfortable you are with using the app.

It is hoped that you will try a few apps in the chapters to find your favorites. Goal of This Book The goal of this book is to introduce you to information and instruction on the use of a variety of free apps that can be used in book promotion routines. The emphasis is on the use of free technology apps in the book promotion program. Many of the apps included in the book may have upgraded paid accounts that offer more bells and whistles than the basic free accounts. When there are paid accounts, emphasis is on the basic free accounts. Examples of the use of the apps is intentionally simple to illustrate how even quick, basic promotions may be used.

As apps come and go, so do their capabilities. The information in this book is up to date at the time of printinghowever, a few apps may have changed, changed to a paid app, or disappeared completely. How to Use This Book The book is divided into four chapters that group the technologyVisuals, Videos, Audio, and Resourcesto help find books and tools to use in your reading program. There is no need to use the book sequentially. Use the chapter and the technology that you need to enhance your book promotion. Every recommended app is available to use for free.