A Conceptual Framework for Emergent Digital Literacy Michelle M. Neumann 1,2 • Glenn Finger 1,2 • David L. Neumann 3,4 Ó Springer Science+Business Media New York 2016 Abstract As we progress in the 21st century, children learn to become proficient readers and writers of both digital and non-digital texts. Knowledge, skills, and understandings of literacy emerge through sociocultural interactions with non-digital tools (e.g., paper-printed books) and digital tools (e.g., touch screen tablets). How- ever, debate is ongoing over the role that digital experi- ences play in emergent literacy development. Researchers have voiced the need to conceptualise a common frame- work for literacy development that considers the emer- gence of digital literacy skills alongside conventional literacy skills and how these skills might interact during development. This is particularly important in light of the increasing use of digital texts used by young children, such as E-books and digital games. Therefore, this paper pro- poses a framework that might guide research and practice by examining the relationships between emergent literacy skills, emergent digital literacy skills, and proficiency in reading and writing. Keywords Emergent digital literacy Á Emergent literacy Á Digital texts Á Non-digital texts Á Literacy development Á E-books Introduction Debates have emerged over the role that digital texts play in emergent literacy development and these debates are com- plemented by the concern that traditional, well-established definitions of emergent literacy are too narrow and should be expanded to include emergent digital literacy skills (Burnett 2010; Floyd et al. 2008; Lankshear and Knobel 2003; Marsh 2004, 2005, 2006). Digital literacy refers to the use of digital tools to create meaning and communicate effectively with others, including the ability to use visual representations, integrate different digital texts, navigate non-linear digital texts, and evaluate digital information (Bulger et al. 2014; Eshet-Alkalai 2004; Ng 2012). The discussions surrounding digital literacy might reflect the limited research to date on identifying what early digital literacy skills are most important. Also, there is a lack of understanding about how digital literacy skills emerge and how these skills influence the development of reading both digital and non-digital texts to a proficient level. The need to address these issues has become more urgent due to the release of touch screen tablets (e.g., iPad) and the increasingly pervasive access to digital technologies contributing to the rise in pre-schooler experiences with digital texts at home and school (Living- stone et al. 2014; Neumann 2014; Northrop and Killeen 2013; Ofcom 2014). To illustrate, the use of E-books by young children at home and in early childhood settings is also increasing (Bus et al. 2015; Korat et al. 2013; Miller and Warschauer 2014). Researchers and educators have called for a common conceptual framework of literacy development that can assist in understanding the acquisition of digital literacy skills (Burnett 2010; Floyd et al. 2008; Marsh 2004; Walsh et al. 2007). A reasonable starting point in such a frame- work is with children’s interactions with digital texts & Michelle M. Neumann m.neumann@griffith.edu.au 1 Griffith Institute for Educational Research, Griffith University, Mt Gravatt, Australia 2 School of Education and Professional Studies, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia 3 School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Australia 4 Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Gold Coast, Australia 123 Early Childhood Educ J DOI 10.1007/s10643-016-0792-z