A digital game-based training improves spelling in German primary school children – A randomized controlled field trial

Abstract

Despite its potential to support reading and spelling development in children with or without dyslexia, research on the effectiveness of digital trainings carried out at home is scarce. This study investigated the effectiveness of a novel digital game-based spelling training for unassisted use at home (Prosodiya). The pedagogical approach differs from similar approaches as it systematically teaches orthographic knowledge in combination with syllable stress awareness. A sample of 116 German second- to fourth-grade children with mainly poor spelling skills participated in a randomized two-period, wait-list controlled field trial, in which children practiced at home over 9–10 weeks with Prosodiya. Results showed high participant engagement, as indicated by behavioral measures of student responsiveness, and they validate our novel pedagogical approach. Most importantly, results revealed significant training effects on syllable stress awareness and spelling abilities in trained and untrained domains. This training may thus expand the traditional pool of training methods.