Reading Digital & Multimodal Texts

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Why it works

Students increasingly read digital and multimodal texts (web pages, infographics, mixed text-image-video, hyperlinked and nonlinear content) on screens, and research shows this reading differs from linear print: it requires navigating nonlinear structure and hyperlinks, integrating multiple modes (text, image, data, video) into coherent understanding, sustaining attention amid distractions, and evaluating source credibility while reading. Students often read digital text more shallowly. Teaching digital reading explicitly, how to navigate, integrate modes, read deeply on screen, and evaluate sources, helps students comprehend the texts they most often encounter, which print-focused instruction does not fully address.

The research: Research on digital and multimodal reading.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: teach reading of digital and multimodal texts

Teachers leave teaching navigation, integration, and deep reading of digital text.

Pick a digital or multimodal text students read.
Teach navigating nonlinear and hyperlinked content purposefully.
Teach integrating the modes (text, image, data, video) into coherent understanding.
Teach reading deeply on screen and evaluating sources while reading.

Digital reading takes teaching tooDigital and multimodal texts require navigating, integrating modes, reading deeply on screen, and evaluating sources, skills print reading does not fully teach. Teach them explicitly.

Facilitator notes

Teach navigating nonlinear and hyperlinked text, and integrating modes.
Teach deep on-screen reading.
Teach evaluating sources while reading.

Print-only instruction leaves digital reading unsupportedStudents read digital and multimodal texts most, yet print-focused teaching does not address navigating, integrating modes, or reading deeply on screen. Teach these explicitly.

Adapt it

Elementary: navigate simple digital text, integrate image and text.
Secondary: nonlinear navigation, multimodal integration, evaluation.
All settings: navigate, integrate modes, read deeply, evaluate.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Digital & Multimodal Reading: teach it

Beyond print: navigate nonlinear and hyperlinked text, integrate modes, read deeply on screen, evaluate sources.

The digital or multimodal text students read:
How I teach navigating nonlinear and hyperlinked content:
How I teach integrating the modes into understanding:
How I teach deep on-screen reading and evaluating sources:
A digital-reading skill students need:

Make it stick

Teach digital reading:

Teach digital and multimodal reading.
Integrate modes.
Bring a digital-reading lesson to the next PLC.

Common questions

Isn't reading on a screen the same as reading on paper?

Not entirely. Digital reading requires navigating nonlinear, hyperlinked content, integrating multiple modes (text, image, data, video), sustaining attention amid distractions, and evaluating sources while reading, skills print reading does not fully teach.

Why do students read digital text shallowly?

Screens, distractions, and the habit of skimming can lead to shallow reading. Teach students to read deeply on screen, navigate purposefully, and integrate the modes, not just skim.

What do students need to learn?

Navigating nonlinear and hyperlinked text, integrating text with images and data, sustaining deep attention on screen, and evaluating source credibility while reading.