Do New Technologies Facilitate the Acquisition of Reading Skills?:A Systematic Review of the Research Evidence

Introduction: In 2009, Spain launched its Escuela2.0 initiative, which aims to digitalise over 14,000 classrooms in primary and secondary schools (Presidencia del Gobierno 2009). Similarly, China is planning to provide 90 per cent of schools with Internet connectivity by 2010 (UNESCO 2009). Following similar initiatives in the UK, the National Curriculum now requires the use of technology in modern foreign languages. Countries such as Spain and China may, therefore, soon require the same in English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classes. Consequently, there is a need to assess the state of the art of new technologies7 in language learning (henceforth Computer- Assisted Language Learning; CALL)8 in primary and secondary education, sectors not traditionally associated with CALL (Jung 2005). The results of a systematic review (as defined by the EPPI-Centre 2007) conducted in response to this need are presented here.