(30 Jan 2025) In an era when students and teachers alike spend hours a day reading on screens, large print books are an easy-to-implement alternative that increases reading engagement and comprehension for a vast majority of students. New research released today by Thorndike Press from Gale, part of Cengage Group, found that 87% of teachers saw a positive impact on their students’ reading success when they made the switch to large print books.
The study was conducted independently by Project Tomorrow, a reputable education nonprofit, on behalf of Thorndike Press to better understand the potential role of large print books in supporting students’ literacy development. The study examined the impact of students reading large print-formatted books on their reading engagement and achievement levels. Approximately 1,500 students in grades 4-12 and 56 teachers and librarians across 13 U.S. elementary, middle, and high schools participated in the study.
Key findings about the effectiveness of large print include:
Finding 1: The inclusion of large print texts in classroom reading activities supports literacy development for all students, regardless of their reading level or learning differences.
Finding 2: Students’ access to large print titles for schoolwork reading increased their engagement in learning and enjoyment in reading.
Finding 3: Teachers value the large print as an easy-to-integrate reading intervention within their instructional practices.
Finding 4: Reading large print texts for schoolwork supported students’ emotional and mental health and their self-efficacy as readers.
Finding 5: Students believe that access to large print books will support enhanced learning.
Find out more from the announcement in full here.
