A randomized controlled trial of an early-intervention, computer-based literacy program to boost phonological skills in 4- to 6-year-old children
Journal ArticleAbstract
Background
Many school‐based interventions are being delivered in the absence of evidence of effectiveness (Snowling & Hulme, 2011, Br. J. Educ. Psychol., 81, 1).
Aims
This study sought to address this oversight by evaluating the effectiveness of the commonly used the Lexia Reading Core5 intervention, with 4‐ to 6‐year‐old pupils in Northern Ireland.
Sample
A total of 126 primary school pupils in year 1 and year 2 were screened on the Phonological Assessment Battery 2nd Edition (PhAB‐2). Children were recruited from the equivalent year groups to Reception and Year 1 in England and Wales, and Pre‐kindergarten and Kindergarten in North America.
Methods
A total of 98 below‐average pupils were randomized (T0) to either an 8‐week block (
= 647.51 min, SD = 158.21) of daily access to Lexia Reading Core5 (n = 49) or a waiting‐list control group (n = 49). Assessment of phonological skills was completed at post‐intervention (T1) and at 2‐month follow‐up (T2) for the intervention group only.
Results
Analysis of covariance which controlled for baseline scores found that the Lexia Reading Core5 intervention group made significantly greater gains in blending, F(1, 95) = 6.50, p = .012, partial η2 = .064 (small effect size) and non‐word reading, F(1, 95) = 7.20, p = .009, partial η2 = .070 (small effect size). Analysis of the 2‐month follow‐up of the intervention group found that all group treatment gains were maintained. However, improvements were not uniform among the intervention group with 35% failing to make progress despite access to support. Post‐hoc analysis revealed that higher T0 phonological working memory scores predicted improvements made in phonological skills.
Conclusions
An early‐intervention, computer‐based literacy program can be effective in boosting the phonological skills of 4‐ to 6‐year‐olds, particularly if these literacy difficulties are not linked to phonological working memory deficits.
Output Information
O'Callaghan, P., McIvor, A., McVeigh, C., & Rushe, T. (2016). A randomized controlled trial of an earlyintervention, computer-based literacy program to boost phonological skills in 4- to 6-year-old children. BritishJournal of Educational Psychology, 86(4), 546. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12122
Published Output URL: https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12122
Category
Educational Psychology