The effect of cognitive warm-up prior to a reading fluency training on reading skills among typically developing Hebrew speaking third-grade children
Abstract
Reading is one of the most fundamental academic skills that establishes the foundation for a child's success in school. Previous studies have repeatedly pointed out several Executive Functions (EF), including working memory, inhibition, switching and speed of processing, as critical abilities for word and contextual reading and reading comprehension. In addition, several studies demonstrated that training with visual rhythmic reading training (RRT) is related to an improvement in EF as well as to better reading fluency. This training was found to improve reading fluency by boosting different cognitive functions within the EF domain. Despite these encouraging findings, the effect of EF warm-up and RRT on reading fluency at third grade remains unclear. Additionally, the relationship between baseline EF prior to training and the gain in reading fluency following this training in the third grade, has yet to be determined. These issues are the focus of the current study.
Methods: 34 first-grade Hebrew speakers (mean age=8.69 years, SD=0.44, 16 females) were recruited and tested for their EF and pre-reading skills. At third grade, they trained on a short EF warm-up immediately prior to a visual RRT for 8 weeks, 3 times per week in their school. EF and reading abilities were also assessed before and immediately after training. Independent paired-t-tests pre-and post-intervention were conducted. To determine the relationship between EF and pre-reading abilities in the first grade and reading gains after training at the third grade, Pearson correlations and Ordinary Least Squares regression were conducted.
Results: A significant increase in word reading rate and contextual reading scores was found after training in the third grade. EF scores in first grade did not predict the gain in reading abilities following training at thie third grade. However, EF scores in the third grade prior to training predicted reading gains following training: negative correlations between switching and inhibition skills prior to training at the third grade predicted reading gains following training.
Conclusions: Our results highlight the positive effect of warm-up cognitive training before RRT training on reading fluency skills. Results also suggest that EF may not be mature enough at first grade in the current population, and therefore, these abilities do not predict reading gains following training.
Bio:
Ms. Sanaa dahamshy holds a Bachelor's degree in Biomedical Engineering from the technion. Currently, she is working as a high school teacher for mathematics.
