E-books make boys better, more interested and more capable readers. Boys usually lag behind girls in terms of reading proficiency, but a study published by the National Literacy Trust shows that gadgets make reading cooler and easier than reading on paper, thus improving children’s reading performances.

The researchers examined 468 pupils across UK. The boys’ reading performances improved within 8.4 months while girls improved within 7.2 months, with the use of e-books. The study also showed that 15.9 percent of boys found reading easier, lower than the initial 28 percent who found difficulty in reading. There was a 25 percent increase in boys who read daily because of an e-book and a 22 percent more of boys read longer.

More than 31 percent have previously said that no reading materials interested them. However, only 19.7 percent could not find things that interested them after the study.

“The study clearly shows that the impact e-books can have on reading enjoyment, particularly for boys, goes well beyond the novelty of a new reading format,” said Irene Picton, research manager at the National Literacy Trust, the Independent reports. Participants claimed that e-books made reading the text better due to the zoom feature of a tablet. Some even said that reading an e-book felt like texting, instead of a chore.

Previous researches show that girls are more proficient in reading than boys. However, in a report released last March, the reasons for the gender gap in reading are still unknown. It is unclear whether the gap is a result of biology, cultural influences or school practices.

“Our research found that technology can transform children’s attitudes towards reading,” Picton added. “Being seen reading on a tablet or smart phone is different to being seen with a book, and this influences how much time pupils spend reading.”

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