In modern societies, training reading skills is fundamental since poor-reading children are at high risk of struggling both at school and in life. Reading relies not only on oral language abilities but also on several executive functions. Considering their importance for literacy, training executive functions—particularly, attentional control has been suggested as a promising way of improving reading skills. For this reason, we developed a video game-based cognitive intervention aimed at improving several facets of executive functions. This game is composed of mini-games that apply gamified versions of standard clinical exercises linked through a game environment with action video game dynamics. Here, in a study involving 151 typically reading children, we demonstrated that after this general-domain behavioural intervention reading abilities, as well as attentional and planning skills, were significantly improved. Our results showed that training attentional control can translate into better reading efficiency, maintained at a follow-up test 6 months later. Skies of Manawak, a video game designed to train attentional control and executive processes, is associated with better reading skills in 8- to 12-year-old children that are maintained 6 months later and higher school grades 12–18 months later.

Enhancing reading skills through a video game mixing action mechanics and cognitive training / Pasqualotto, Angela; Altarelli, Irene; Angeli, Antonella De; Menestrina, Zeno; Bavelier, Daphne; Venuti, Paola. - In: NATURE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR. - ISSN 2397-3374. - ELETTRONICO. - 2022:(2022), pp. 545-554. [10.1038/s41562-021-01254-x]

Enhancing reading skills through a video game mixing action mechanics and cognitive training

Pasqualotto, Angela;Angeli, Antonella De;Menestrina, Zeno;Venuti, Paola
2022-01-01

Abstract

In modern societies, training reading skills is fundamental since poor-reading children are at high risk of struggling both at school and in life. Reading relies not only on oral language abilities but also on several executive functions. Considering their importance for literacy, training executive functions—particularly, attentional control has been suggested as a promising way of improving reading skills. For this reason, we developed a video game-based cognitive intervention aimed at improving several facets of executive functions. This game is composed of mini-games that apply gamified versions of standard clinical exercises linked through a game environment with action video game dynamics. Here, in a study involving 151 typically reading children, we demonstrated that after this general-domain behavioural intervention reading abilities, as well as attentional and planning skills, were significantly improved. Our results showed that training attentional control can translate into better reading efficiency, maintained at a follow-up test 6 months later. Skies of Manawak, a video game designed to train attentional control and executive processes, is associated with better reading skills in 8- to 12-year-old children that are maintained 6 months later and higher school grades 12–18 months later.
2022
Pasqualotto, Angela; Altarelli, Irene; Angeli, Antonella De; Menestrina, Zeno; Bavelier, Daphne; Venuti, Paola
Enhancing reading skills through a video game mixing action mechanics and cognitive training / Pasqualotto, Angela; Altarelli, Irene; Angeli, Antonella De; Menestrina, Zeno; Bavelier, Daphne; Venuti, Paola. - In: NATURE HUMAN BEHAVIOUR. - ISSN 2397-3374. - ELETTRONICO. - 2022:(2022), pp. 545-554. [10.1038/s41562-021-01254-x]
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
SOM_NHB_paper_def.pdf

Solo gestori archivio

Descrizione: first online
Tipologia: Versione editoriale (Publisher’s layout)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 2.2 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
2.2 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri
s41562-021-01254-x.pdf

Solo gestori archivio

Tipologia: Versione editoriale (Publisher’s layout)
Licenza: Tutti i diritti riservati (All rights reserved)
Dimensione 2.12 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
2.12 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11572/328537
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 5
  • Scopus 22
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 18
social impact