Computer-assisted language learning in reading comprehension by using visual mnemonics A case study of Iranian EFL learners

Mojtaba Aghajani,Hanieh Amanzadeh

doi:10.7575/aiac.ijalel.v.7n.1p.130

Abstract

A profitable method to address reading delays is to use computer-assisted learning, but these techniques are not always effective. In this research, the researchers evaluated a commercially available computer system, which uses visual mnemonics, in a randomised controlled trial with 78 English-speaking children (mean age 7 years) who their schools identified as needing reading support. School based individual tutorials usually took place 2-3 times/week. Only the experimental group received the intervention in the first 10 months, thereafter both the experimental and control groups received the intervention for 6 months. After 10 months, the experimental group had significantly higher standardised scores than the waiting list control group of decoding, phonological awareness, naming speed, phonological short-term memory and executive loaded working memory. The computer-assisted intervention was effective and this suggests that this medium can be used for reading interventions with English speaking children.

Highlights

Introduce the ProblemEducation and employment prospects are often impaired in children with delays in reading (Dugdale & Clark, 2008, p. 45)
Lake, Davis, & Madden (2011) have reviewed non-computer interventions designed to help struggling readers. They concluded that one-to-one tutoring, especially when this involves phonics, and involves teachers rather than paraprofessionals usually is very effective; they concluded that classroom was based on experimental studies, many of which were not randomised controlled trials (RCTs)
Savage, Sanghera-Sidhu, Wood and Gottardo (2014) in their tertiary meta-analysis found that overall effect sizes wide programs, cooperative learning, can have were positive, but small

Summary

Introduction

Introduce the ProblemEducation and employment prospects are often impaired in children with delays in reading (Dugdale & Clark, 2008, p. 45). Lake, Davis, & Madden (2011) have reviewed non-computer interventions designed to help struggling readers (see Blanchman et al, 2014) They concluded that one-to-one tutoring, especially when this involves phonics (i.e., relations between letters and sounds), and involves teachers rather than paraprofessionals usually is very effective; they concluded that classroom was based on experimental studies, many of which were not RCTs. More recently, Slavin, Lake, Davis and Madden (2011) concluded that “computer-assisted instruction had few positive effects on reading” (p1) and Cheung and Slavin (2012) concluded that there usually were small gains and effect sizes in computer-based interventions, especially when compared to non-computer interventions (p,120). Cheung and Slavin (2013) reviewed 20 investigations that met reasonable research rigour (13 of the studies involved randomisation, but six did not appear to be peer reviewed) They found that there was only a small positive effect size from a combined analysis of all the studies. They suggested that training very positive effects (see Griffiths & Stuart, 2013). and support for practitioners was associated with greater

Methods

Results

Conclusion