Digital Game-Based Phonics Instruction Promotes Print Knowledge in Pre-Readers at Cognitive Risk for Dyslexia

Abstract

Dyslexia is targeted most effectively when (1) interventions are provided preventively, before the onset of reading instruction, and (2) remediation programs combine letter-sound training with phoneme blending. Given the growing potential of technology in educational contexts, there has been a considerable increase of letter-sound trainings embedded in digital serious games. One such intervention is GraphoGame. Yet, current evidence on the preventive impact of GraphoGame is limited by the lack of adaptation of the original learning content to the skills of pre-readers, short training duration, and a restricted focus on explicitly trained skills. Therefore, the current study aims at investigating the impact of a preventive, and pre-reading adapted GraphoGame training (i.e., GraphoGame-Flemish, GG-FL) on explicitly trained skills and non-specifically trained phonological and language abilities. Following a large-scale screening (N = 1225), the current study included 88 pre-reading kindergarteners at cognitive risk for dyslexia who were assigned to three groups training either with GG-FL (n = 31), an active control game (n = 29), or no game (n = 28). Before and after the 12-week intervention, a variety of reading-related skills were assessed. Moreover, receptive letter knowledge and phonological awareness were measured every three weeks during the intervention period. Results revealed significantly larger improvements in the GG-FL group on explicitly trained skills, i.e., letter knowledge and word decoding, without finding transfer-effects to untrained phonological and language abilities. Our findings imply a GG-FL-driven head start on early literacy skills in at-risk children. A follow-up study should uncover the long-term impact and the ability of GG-FL to prevent actual reading failure.

Ahead of maturation: Enhanced speech envelope training boosts rise time discrimination in pre‐readers at cognitive risk for dyslexia

“…The significance here is that the EE intervention allows for interventions during the most effective intervention period. This is consistent with previous studies who already demonstrated the potential of GraphoGame to be used in pre‐reading children at risk for dyslexia (Lovio et al., 2012; Vanden Bempt et al., 2021). Further studies are required to investigate whether the improvement in RTD will also carry through to speech perception, PA and reading performance in order to mitigate (the occurrence of) dyslexia.…”

“…A meta-analysis by Wanzek and Vaughn (2007) Meta-analyses have provided most support for phonics-based interventions, especially when they include explicit and systematic phonics instruction and when they are provided at an early age (Bus & Van Ijzendoorn, 1999;National Institute of Child Health & Human Development, 2000;Richardson & Lyytinen, 2014;Snowling & Hulme, 2011;Verhoeven et al, 2020). Previous studies already demonstrated positive effects of GraphoGame, a frequently implemented phonics-based intervention, in pre-reading children at risk for dyslexia (Lovio et al, 2012;Vanden Bempt et al, 2021). Despite the positive impact of phonics-based interventions, children with dyslexia do not consistently reach the reading level of their typical reading peers, even when the interventions are provided at an early age (McTigue et al, 2019).…”

Feasibility, Enjoyment, and Language Comprehension Impact of a Tablet- and GameFlow-Based Story-Listening Game for Kindergarteners: Methodological and Mixed Methods Study

“…Furthermore, as Flemish schools only provide reading instructions from the first grade onward, all participants were considered to be prereading. This so-called prereading phase was also confirmed by a unanimous floor effect on a preintervention reading test [ 55 ]. Signed informed consent was obtained from all participants, and the study was approved by the medical ethical committee of Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven, KU Leuven (Katholieke Universiteit Leuven; approval number B322201836276).…”

“…Typically developing children scored above percentile 40 on all reading precursors and were matched to the risk sample based on nonverbal reasoning ability, school environment, and gender. Consider the studies by Van Herck et al [ 49 ], Vanden Bempt et al [ 55 ], and Verwimp et al [ 60 ] for a more detailed description of the screening tasks, procedures, and participant selection. All the selected participants were in their third year of kindergarten, Flemish monolingual Dutch speaking, born in 2013, and had a schooling period of minimally 20 months.…”

“…The EE algorithm automatically detects and amplifies important rhythmic acoustic cues of the speech envelope (ie, onset rise times), which are considered important for phonological skill (and potentially reading) development [ 52 , 53 ]. The story game was implemented in a broader preventive reading intervention aiming to (1) evaluate the efficacy of a tablet-based phonics intervention specifically targeting reading and phonology—GraphoGame Flemish (GG-FL) [ 54 , 55 ]—and (2) investigate the possible educational boosting effect of the EE story game on top of GG-FL, which will be addressed in a future study. Story game enjoyment will be evaluated in three ways based on (1) postintervention child and parental questionnaires, (2) fulfillment of the GameFlow criteria, and (3) in-game data indicative of game enjoyment.…”