iPad Reading: An Innovative Approach to New Literacies

This study aimed to investigate the use of iPads as a learning tool for college-level EFL students and to explore these language learners’ perceptions of iPad reading. Drawn from an intermediate EFL reading class, three students with limited experiences of iPad reading participated in this study. Data from weekly journals and interviews showed that the iPads’ palm size, light weight, and accessibility to the Internet through wireless connections not only promoted mobile learning outside the classroom but also achieved learning goals inside the classroom. The various iPad applications enabled students to learn English through games and easy access to helpful resources and thereby increased their motivation to learn. Students also improved their communication skills by using iPads to create videos. iPads have provided useful opportunities for new literacy instruction.