The PLAYMORE study aims to investigate the effects of two interventions focusing on a close and meaningful coupling between bodily movement and academic content on early pre-reading and word recognition skills in children. Further, the study aims to compare two interventions involving either hand movements (i.e. using arms and hands) or whole-body movements (i.e. using the whole body). Potential mediating factors underlying the potential effect of bodily movement on early pre-reading and word recognition skills will be explored. The PLAYMORE study will be conducted as a three-armed randomized controlled trial including children aged five to six years recruited from four schools in the Copenhagen area, Denmark. Stratified by class, children will be randomly allocated to one of three 8-week intervention/control periods: 1) teaching involving whole-body movements, 2) teaching involving hand movements (i.e. arms and hands) or 3) teaching involving minimal motor movements (i.e. seated on a chair using paper and pencil). Outcome measurements, including pre-reading and word recognition skills, will be collected before and after the intervention period to assess the intervention effects. This study protocol follows the SPIRIT guidelines.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
149
The intervention consist of three 30 minutes sessions per week for eight weeks. Activities are conducted in small groups of six children and focus on the acquisition of letterforms, letter-sound correspondences and reading and spelling of short words. Activities involve whole-body movements and have been developed with the embodied learning theory in mind, linking movement closely to the learning content.
The intervention consist of three 30 minutes sessions per week for eight weeks. Activities are conducted in small groups of six children and focus on the acquisition of letterforms, letter-sound correspondences and reading and spelling of short words. Activities involve movements using hands and arms and have been developed with the embodied learning theory in mind, linking movement closely to the learning content.
The control condition consist of three 30 minutes sessions per week for eight weeks. Activities are conducted in groups of app. twelve children and focus on the acquisition of letterforms, letter-sound correspondences and reading and spelling of short words. Activities are completed seated on a chair using paper and pencil.
University of Copenhagen
Copenhagen, Denmark
Change from baseline in word reading speed and accuracy (reading of 18 trained words) at 8 weeks, computer-based test
This word reading test consist of 18 presentations of targets words; one target word per presentation. Below the target word are placed four pictures of which one illustrates the target word. For the children to give a correct answer, they will have to touch the picture matching the target word on the touch screen. They are asked to touch the correct picture as fast as possible. The three remaining pictures represents words (distractors) that have either the initial (two pictures) or the final (one picture) sound in common with the target word. The presentations of target words and the order of the four pictures are randomized between subjects and time points. During the test, children are allowed to ask questions concerning the pictures (e.g. what is shown on this picture?) but not regarding the target word (e.g. what is the sound of this letter?). The results from the test constitute mean response time for correct answers and number of correct answers.
Time frame: Baseline and 8-weeks
Change from baseline in trained letter-sound correspondences accuracy (15 trials) at 8 weeks, paper and pencil test
The test consists of 15 trials. In each trial, a sound corresponding to a standard or a conditional pronunciation of a letter is said out loud by the assessor. Children are instructed to identify the correct letter matching the sound from a row of four letters. Before the test trials, children will be provided with one practice trial. The 15 sounds represent both standard and conditional pronunciations of the letters a, e, o, r, u and v. Results are numbers of correct letter-sound correspondences.
Time frame: Baseline and 8-weeks
Change from baseline in word reading accuracy (reading of 12 untrained words) at 8 weeks, computer-based test
This test consists of 12 presentations of untrained words; one word per presentation. The 12 words consist of four 2-letter words, four 3-letter words and four 4-letter words.
Time frame: Baseline and 8-weeks
Change from baseline in letter naming fluency accuracy at 8 weeks
This Danish version of the Letter Naming test is based on the same principles as DIBELS Letter Naming Fluency (Good \& Kaminski, 2002). The test consists of a piece of paper (A4) with 12 rows of 10 letters (mixed upper- and lower case).
Time frame: Baseline and 8-weeks
Change from baseline in letter-sound correspondence accuracy, Bogstaveprøve 2 ['Letter test 2'] at 8 weeks
This test has been widely used in the Danish school system. The test consists of two subtests assessing simple letter-sound knowledge and vowel identification, respectively. For the purpose of the present study, only the first subtest will be administered to assess standard letter-sound knowledge.
Time frame: Baseline and 8-weeks
Change from baseline in word reading accuracy and speed, Ordlæseprøve 1 ['Word reading test 1'] at 8 weeks
This test is widely used in the Danish school system. The test consists of 78 items (preceded by two practice items) and evaluates word reading accuracy as well as efficiency.
Time frame: Baseline and 8-weeks
Change from baseline in word reading speed and accuracy (reading of 18 trained words) at 18 weeks, computer-based test
This word reading test consist of 18 presentations of targets words; one target word per presentation. Below the target word are placed four pictures of which one illustrates the target word. For the children to give a correct answer, they will have to touch the picture matching the target word on the touch screen. They are asked to touch the correct picture as fast as possible. The three remaining pictures represents words (distractors) that have either the initial (two pictures) or the final (one picture) sound in common with the target word. The presentations of target words and the order of the four pictures are randomized between subjects and time points. During the test, children are allowed to ask questions concerning the pictures (e.g. what is shown on this picture?) but not regarding the target word (e.g. what is the sound of this letter?). The results from the test constitute mean response time for correct answers and number of correct answers.
Time frame: Baseline and 18-weeks
Change from baseline in trained letter-sound correspondences accuracy (15 trials) at 18 weeks, paper and pencil test
The test consists of 15 trials. In each trial, a sound corresponding to a standard or a conditional pronunciation of a letter is said out loud by the assessor. Children are instructed to identify the correct letter matching the sound from a row of four letters. Before the test trials, children will be provided with one practice trial. The 15 sounds represent both standard and conditional pronunciations of the letters a, e, o, r, u and v. Results are numbers of correct letter-sound correspondences.
Time frame: Baseline and 18-weeks
Change in word reading speed and accuracy (reading of 18 trained words) between 8 weeks and 18 weeks, computer-based test
This word reading test consist of 18 presentations of targets words; one target word per presentation. Below the target word are placed four pictures of which one illustrates the target word. For the children to give a correct answer, they will have to touch the picture matching the target word on the touch screen. They are asked to touch the correct picture as fast as possible. The three remaining pictures represents words (distractors) that have either the initial (two pictures) or the final (one picture) sound in common with the target word. The presentations of target words and the order of the four pictures are randomized between subjects and time points. During the test, children are allowed to ask questions concerning the pictures (e.g. what is shown on this picture?) but not regarding the target word (e.g. what is the sound of this letter?). The results from the test constitute mean response time for correct answers and number of correct answers.
Time frame: 8-weeks and 18-weeks
Change in trained letter-sound correspondences accuracy (15 trials) between 8 weeks and 18 weeks, paper and pencil test
The test consists of 15 trials. In each trial, a sound corresponding to a standard or a conditional pronunciation of a letter is said out loud by the assessor. Children are instructed to identify the correct letter matching the sound from a row of four letters. Before the test trials, children will be provided with one practice trial. The 15 sounds represent both standard and conditional pronunciations of the letters a, e, o, r, u and v. Results are numbers of correct letter-sound correspondences.
Time frame: 8-weeks and 18-weeks
Change in word reading accuracy (reading of 12 untrained words) between 8 weeks and 18 weeks, computer-based test
This test consists of 12 presentations of untrained words; one word per presentation. The 12 words consist of four 2-letter words, four 3-letter words and four 4-letter words.
Time frame: 8-weeks and 18-weeks
Change in letter naming fluency accuracy between 8 weeks and 18 weeks
This Danish version of the Letter Naming test is based on the same principles as DIBELS Letter Naming Fluency (Good \& Kaminski, 2002). The test consists of a piece of paper (A4) with 12 rows of 10 letters (mixed upper- and lower case).
Time frame: 8-weeks and 18-weeks
Change in letter-sound correspondence accuracy, Bogstaveprøve 2 ['Letter test 2'] between 8 weeks and 18 weeks
This test has been widely used in the Danish school system. The test consists of two subtests assessing simple letter-sound knowledge and vowel identification, respectively. For the purpose of the present study, only the first subtest will be administered to assess standard letter-sound knowledge.
Time frame: 8-weeks and 18-weeks
Change in word reading accuracy and speed, Ordlæseprøve 1 ['Word reading test 1'] between 8 weeks and 18 weeks
This test is widely used in the Danish school system. The test consists of 78 items (preceded by two practice items) and evaluates word reading accuracy as well as efficiency.
Time frame: 8-weeks and 18-weeks
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