THIS PAPER EXPLORES THE ROLE of self-authored e-books as a vehicle for helping early childhood professionals to engage young children in new literacy and language experiences. The rationale for using information and communication technology (ICT) in the early years is examined along with the changes that have occurred in written texts and textual practices. It is our opinion, as New Zealand early childhood teacher educators working in the area of multi-literacies, that self-authored books present an opportunity for early childhood professionals to develop a partnership between ICT and reading. The common software application PowerPoint is ideal for helping young children to make basic self-authored e-books. By helping children self-author and produce e-books, early childhood professionals can make the use of computers more interactive and personal. The potential ethical issues, cautions and constraints that need to be taken into consideration when developing self-authored e-books are examined.
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