The smartphone and social media culture of today can sometimes be demonized by parents and by teachers within their classrooms. But the thing is, neither is going away any time soon. Rather than fight its existence, there are several ways that we can use this environment to set students up for reading success. By focusing on the foundational elements of reading: reading efficiency (the physical act of reading), motivation, self-confidence, and comprehension, we can use smartphones and social media as tools for developing reader achievement.

Liana Gamber-Thompson from EdSurge offers the following 7 tips:

* Keep Panic At Bay

* Be A Good Role Model

* Be A Digital Ally

* Avoid Coercion

* Make Good Content Accessible

* Expand Your Reading Repertoire

* Celebrate The Positive

Explore these tips in greater depth below!