Play-based Motor-Cognitive Training for Improved Reading

NCT04618822 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 8018-00132B
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 149
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Reading

Keywords

motor-enriched learning; embodied learning; physically active lessons; pre-reading skills; word recognition; preschool children

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• 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.

  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.

  Baseline and 8-weeks

Secondary Outcomes (12)

• Change from baseline in word reading accuracy (reading of 12 untrained words) at 8 weeks, computer-based test

  Baseline and 8-weeks

• Change from baseline in letter naming fluency accuracy at 8 weeks

  Baseline and 8-weeks

• Change from baseline in letter-sound correspondence accuracy, Bogstaveprøve 2 ['Letter test 2'] at 8 weeks

  Baseline and 8-weeks

• Change from baseline in word reading accuracy and speed, Ordlæseprøve 1 ['Word reading test 1'] at 8 weeks

  Baseline and 8-weeks

• Change from baseline in word reading speed and accuracy (reading of 18 trained words) at 18 weeks, computer-based test

  Baseline and 18-weeks

Other Outcomes (10)

• Change in 1-back task accuracy and reaction time

  Baseline, 8-weeks and 18-weeks

• Change in digit span forwards and backwards accuracy (number of correctly remembered sequences and the number of digits in the longest correctly remembered sequence)

  Baseline, 8-weeks and 18-weeks

• Intrinsic motivation questionnaire

  Four times during study completion, immediately after one session in week two, four, six and eight

Study Arms (3)

Teaching involving whole-body movements

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: Teaching involving whole-body movements

Teaching involving hand movements

EXPERIMENTAL

i.e. arms and hands

Behavioral: Teaching involving hand movements

teaching involving minimal motor movements

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

i.e. seated on a chair using paper and pencil

Behavioral: Teaching involving minimal motor movements (control)

Interventions

Teaching involving whole-body movements BEHAVIORAL

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.

Teaching involving whole-body movements

Teaching involving hand movements BEHAVIORAL

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.

Teaching involving hand movements

Teaching involving minimal motor movements (control) BEHAVIORAL

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.

teaching involving minimal motor movements

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 7 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Children five to six years old who have just started school

You may not qualify if:

• Children who do not speak any Danish
• Children with cognitive or physical disabilities hindering participation in the project activities

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Copenhagen: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Copenhagen

Copenhagen, 2200, Denmark

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Gejl AK, Malling ASB, Damsgaard L, Veber-Nielsen AM, Wienecke J. Motor-enriched learning for improving pre-reading and word recognition skills in preschool children aged 5-6 years - study protocol for the PLAYMORE randomized controlled trial. BMC Pediatr. 2021 Jan 4;21(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s12887-020-02430-0.

  PMID: 33397297 DERIVED

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Model Details: A three-armed randomized controlled trial

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 26, 2020
• First Posted: November 6, 2020
• Study Start: September 1, 2020
• Primary Completion: February 19, 2021
• Study Completion: April 14, 2021
• Last Updated: November 8, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

DK (1)