5B PHONE FREE TIME (27 JULY 26)

Mike V chats about being able to be off his phone this past week.   Sweden is officially trading screens and tablets for physical books and handwriting to reverse a decline in reading skills. Once at the forefront of hyper-digitalized learning, Sweden is engineering adramatic pivot back to the basics in its classrooms. Concerned that an overreliance on digital tablets and screens has eroded reading comprehension and foundational writing skills, Swedish educationofficials are investing heavily in traditional printed textbooks. The national strategy aims to phase out digital devices for children under the age of six entirely, following a drop in international reading assessment scores. Experts point out that while technology was championed to level the playing field, its unrestricted use has instead led to shorter attention spans and reduced retention among younger learners.