Thinking outside the phonological box: Combining repeated reading and action video games to develop reading fluency in year 7 children with dyslexia

Abstract

AimsChildren’s reading attainments in England continue to cause concern despite a national agenda focusing on the development of phonological skills. There is also a lack of guidance regarding how to support children who continue to struggle despite early support, including children with dyslexia and those in secondary education. Italian research groups found that playing action video games (AVGs) improved word and pseudo-word reading speed for children with dyslexia through increasing visual attention. The current study aims to build on this research, exploring whether AVGs boost the effects of a reading fluency intervention, Repeated Reading (RR). The effectiveness of RR alone is also analysed. Effects of the intervention on a range of measures are considered.MethodA single case experimental design (SCED) with alternating interventions, RR-alone and RR-plus-AVGs, was employed with eight Year 7 children with dyslexia in a UK special school.FindingsAll children demonstrated reading gains from the combined intervention, RR and AVGs. RR-alone was effective for two children and AVGs boosted the effects of RR for five children. Six children increased their reading comprehension. Children enjoyed playing AVGs. RR was viewed positively by teachers and viewed by children as improving their reading.LimitationsConfidence in results was reduced by variability and some effect sizes not reaching significance. The special school setting for children with dyslexia may affect generalisability to mainstream schools or to struggling readers without dyslexia.ConclusionsImplications for educational psychologists’ practice are discussed, particularly how to proceed, with what appears to be a promising intervention.