A systematic review on the effectiveness of children’s interactive reading applications for promoting their emergent literacy in the multimedia context

Oct 15, 2026

Emergent literacy underpins young children’s reading and writing development before conventional instruction, and it shapes later literacy achievement. This systematic review synthesizes 50 studies (2013–2022) evaluating children’s interactive reading applications for ages 3–8 in multimedia settings. Multimedia features such as dictionaries, background music, and animated visuals support emergent literacy, while games and hotspot-based interactions may distract attention and reduce reading performance. Well-designed apps also show benefits for learning outcomes and behavior, though further in-depth design guidance is needed.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages16

Reading Time40 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Emergent literacy and early reading development

Interactive reading apps and multimedia context

Terminology and scope of interactive reading apps

Effects on motivation and comprehension

Evidence base and mixed findings

OPEN ACCESS Review Article Contemporary Educational Technology, 2023, 15(2), ep412 ISSN: 1309-517X (Online) A systematic review on the effectiveness of children’s interactive reading applications for promoting their emergent literacy in the multimedia context Chen Chuang 1 0000-0002-4877-1184 Nurullizam Jamiat 1* 0000-0001-8518-2891 1 Centre for Instructional Technology & Multimedia, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang, MALAYSIA * Corresponding author: [nurullizamj@usm.my](nurullizamj@usm.my) Citation: Chuang, C., & Jamiat, N. (2023) . A systematic review on the effectiveness of children’s interactive reading applications for promoting their emergent literacy in the multimedia context. Contemporary Educational Technology, 15(2), ep412. [https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12941](https://doi.org/10.30935/cedtech/12941) ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT | Received: 15 Sep 2022
Accepted: 10 Jan 2023 | Emergent literacy is the term used to describe the reading and writing experiences of young children before they learn to write and read conventionally, and it is important for the construction of children’s early reading skills and the enhancement of their later reading performance. The systematic review was conducted to examine the effectiveness of children’s interactive reading apps in promoting emergent literacy for children between the ages of three and eight over the last decade (2013-2022) . A total of 50 studies were included in this review, and it can be concluded that multimedia features (e.g., a dictionary, background music, and animated pictures) in children’s interactive reading apps are effective for enhancing emergent literacy. Conversely, interactive functions (such as games and hotspots) may distract children’s attention, leading to poor reading performances. This review also demonstrated the positive effects of children’s interactive reading apps on improving their learning outcomes and behavior. In addition, the results indicated that well-designed apps could promote children’s emerging literacy skills. However, more in-depth studies will be required in the future to provide designers with a well-defined guideline for designing reading apps for children.
Keywords: emergent literacy, interactive, application, systematic review | | --- | --- | | INTRODUCTION | | There is no doubt that reading is an important part of a child’s literacy development. Reading stories to children enhances both their reading ability and their ability to acquire complex vocabulary. In the dyad model of parent and child reading processes, storytelling through parents leads to better story comprehension and retention (Dore et al., 2018; Scarborough & Dobrich, 1994) . Rosen and Randell (2016) define the synergy mechanism of parents in developing children’s reading skills as cognitive scaffolding (e.g., guided reading, vocabulary interpretation, story content interpretation, meaning-making) and affective scaffolding (e.g., praise, encouragement, and behavior control) . Children are increasingly exposed to on-screen reading activities as technology advances and smart devices (computers, smartphones, and tablets) become more popular (Christ et al., 2019; Smeets & Bus, 2015) . Based on the National Literacy Trust’s 2014 annual literacy survey (Picton, 2014), between 2012 and 2013, the percentage of children responding to the annual literacy survey who owned an e-reader increased from 20% to 30%, while tablet ownership increased from 38% to 65%, and smartphone ownership increased from 38% to 70% . Additionally, the number and availability of interactive reading apps for children have increased dramatically, from the first computerized storybooks available through CD-ROM to today’s touchscreen interactive reading systems (Elizabeth & Mark, 2014) . This shift from traditional paper books as the primary resource for children’s reading to screen-based e-books changes the reading environment and experience for young children. Along

FAQs

What is emergent literacy in this review?

Emergent literacy refers to young children’s reading and writing experiences before they learn to read and write conventionally. It is central to building early reading skills and improving later reading performance.

What multimedia features are found to be effective?

The review concludes that multimedia features such as dictionaries, background music, and animated pictures effectively enhance emergent literacy.

Why might some interactive functions reduce reading performance?

Interactive functions like games and hotspots may distract children’s attention, which can lead to poorer reading performance.

Oct 15, 2026

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