312 parents and teachers have spoken: What does it take to save reading?

The Tablet Takes Center Stage

When it comes to reading practice in the digital world, the device your child uses is no afterthought. The results were clear: 79% of respondents chose a tablet as the most suitable device for reading games. In comparison, only 15% mentioned a smartphone as their first choice.

This aligns well with the design philosophy of LESA. Tablets offer a larger screen, better experience, and fewer distractions than a phone, allowing the child to dive deeper into stories and games. This choice also suggests that parents and educators view reading as a focused task requiring better screen quality and overview than a phone can provide.

What's the Price of Reading Joy?

The question of pricing is always tricky. The most common responses regarding the monthly fee were in the range of 2,000 to 3,500 ISK.

Here, we face the challenge of the small Icelandic market. With only about 4,500 children in each year group and the high costs associated with complex software development and AI processing, the price is likely to be closer to the upper limit of that range. Developing quality content for a small language community requires more investment per user than in larger markets.

However, a clear willingness emerged in the comments: Parents are willing to pay more if the solution delivers measurable results. We see this as a promise – if we deliver results, then the investment is worth it.

But there's another way. 73% of respondents believed the state or municipalities should bear the cost. If the government were to join the project with subsidies or license purchases, the cost for parents could be significantly reduced. This is a clear call to authorities to prioritize reading solutions and recognize that reading skills are a social interest, not just a private matter for parents.

52% of Parents Struggle with Time Scarcity (and Guilt)

This might be the most poignant point in the findings. 52% of parents said they wrestle with significant time scarcity in daily life, which impacts home reading. We all know this: After a long workday, cooking, and shuttling, there's often little energy left for sitting down to read. This lack of time often leads to stress and a negative experience with homework, both for parents and children.

At the same time, most parents said that access to information about their child's progress is "very important." Parents want to know how things are going, but don't always have the time to monitor the child. They want to be informed participants without being their child’s full-time teacher.

How Does LESA Address This? We designed LESA to lighten the load on parents (“set it and forget it”) without losing oversight:

1. Automatic Recording: LESA automatically measures reading speed, comprehension, and enjoyment while the child plays.

2. Information Delivery: Parents get access to detailed statistics on their phones. You can see the progress without having to manage reading time yourself. This changes the parent's role from "supervisor" to "cheerleader" celebrating the victories.

61% Find It Difficult to Find the “Right Book”

Shelves full of books are of little use if they are too easy (boring) or too hard (lead to giving up). In the survey, 61% of parents reported difficulty finding books that are just right for their child. This is a known issue in reading education; if the gap between ability and task is too large, interest quickly wanes.

This problem leads directly to lack of interest, named as one of the biggest foes of reading education in the survey. When a child finds the text insurmountable or childish for their age, the joy of reading fades.

LESA's Solution is Two-Fold:

• Adaptation: Our Story Engine automatically adapts the difficulty level to the child's ability. The story grows with the child, ensuring it is always in the “zone of proximal development” – where the task is challenging yet manageable.

• Gamification: We turn the "chore" into a game. As the results underlined, access to material isn't enough – there's a need for motivation. By weaving educational content into engaging stories and game systems, we activate the child's intrinsic motivation.

The findings from this survey are invaluable to us. They confirm that we are on the right track, but also remind us of the responsibility that comes with developing a tool meant to save the Icelandic tongue and literacy. We're not just creating an app but attempting to solve a complex social issue with technology and pedagogy at our side.

Thank you for taking part. We will forge ahead undaunted.