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A new scientific study has suggested reading paper books is better than reading from electronic devices when it comes to children's learning skills.

The researchers say reading from printed paper is up to six times better at boosting comprehension skills.

The study involved 470,000 students and it concluded that reading from screens had a negative impact on primary and middle school pupils' understanding of the text.

The researchers from the University of Valencia say that digital reading may slow down understanding of a piece of writing because devices like tablets or smart phones are designed for other purposes and are more likely to distract readers.

They estimate that if a student spends 10 hours of free time reading from a book made of paper and card, they take in up to six to eight times more understanding than if they read the same text from a digital device.

Lidia Altamura, who is a PhD student at the university in Spain, said their research led them to believe that it really mattered what learners are using to read their books in their spare time.

"We do not go against digital reading", she said.

"When recommending reading activities, schools should emphasise print reading (from paper books) [compared] to digital reading, especially for young readers".

But what do you think?

Do you like reading from a real book or do you prefer using a tablet or phone?

Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to tell us why you think that.