A new study finds that playing video games like “Space Invaders Xtreme 2” significantly improved phonological awareness in preschoolers at risk for dyslexia, outperforming traditional speech therapy. The improvements were sustained for six months after the study.
Video games can help children with dyslexia improve their reading skills!
Key highlights
- A study has found that playing “Space Invaders Extreme 2” improves reading comprehension in children with dyslexia.
- Preschoolers at risk for dyslexia showed significant improvements in phonological awareness by playing video games.
- Action video games could become a new tool for early intervention for dyslexia and other disorders.
New Delhi: A recent University of Michigan study found that playing “Space Invaders Extreme 2” improves reading skills in preschoolers at risk for dyslexia. The study, published in the journal NPJ Science of Learning, found that the action video game improves children's ability to hear and manipulate the individual sounds in words, a key skill known as phonological awareness.
What is Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is a learning disability that affects a child's ability to read, spell and decode words, despite normal intelligence and appropriate instruction. It is a neurological disorder with a genetic component and is often identified early in formal education.
the study
The researchers aimed to find out whether playing action video games could help children with cognitive disabilities related to reading development. They focused on three main areas: phonological awareness, phonological working memory, and rapid naming.
- Phonological Awareness: The ability to recognise and manipulate individual sounds within words.
- Phonological working memory: The ability to temporarily hold and process audio information.
- Quick naming: Ability to quickly name sequences of random letters, numbers, colors, or objects.
methodology
The study involved 120 preschool children aged 5-6 years old from the Italian scientific institute IRCCS “Eugenio Medea”. Of these, 79 children were identified as at risk of dyslexia. They were divided into four groups:
- Action Video Games Group: I played Space Invaders Extreme 2 for 1.5 months, 4 times a week for 45 minutes.
- Minigame Group: I played a variety of mini-games with equal frequency and duration.
- Speech Therapy Group: He received traditional phonological training from a speech-language therapist over 21 45-minute individual sessions over a 3.7-month period.
- Waiting Group: No treatment was given.
Before and after the treatment period, all children underwent neuropsychological assessments to measure improvements in phonological awareness, phonological working memory, and rapid naming.
result
The findings were surprising.
- Children who played Space Invaders Extreme 2 showed significantly greater improvements in phonological awareness compared to all other groups.
- These improvements were sustained six months after the study ended.
Space Invaders
Why Space Invaders Extreme 2?
Action video games like “Space Invaders Xtreme 2” appear to be particularly effective because they capture children's interest and create a stimulating environment that fosters cognitive development. These games increase the brain's “plasticity,” allowing it to adapt and learn new skills more efficiently.
Implications
The study suggests that action video games may be a beneficial tool in early intervention for children at risk for dyslexia, and may also be helpful for children with other neurodevelopmental disorders, such as ADHD, developmental coordination disorder, and autism spectrum disorder.
Although further research is needed to understand the specific factors that contribute to the effectiveness of these games, this study provides a strong foundation for future research.
