A randomised controlled trial of a computerised intervention for children with social communication difficulties to support peer collaboration.
A short adult-then-peer computer game lifted pragmatic language and teamwork in kindergarteners with social delays.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers built a short computer game for kindergarteners who struggle with social talk.
Kids first played the game with an adult. Then they played the same game with a classmate.
The team ran a true experiment: some children got the game right away; others waited.
What they found
The game group asked more helpful questions and solved the game better than the wait-list group.
Pragmatic language scores also rose, with effects from small to large.
How this fits with other research
Conant et al. (1984) tried game-based language teaching thirty years earlier. They saw gains only in kids without severe cognitive delays. The new RCT shows even brief game-plus-peer time can help a wider mix of children.
Tiede et al. (2019) pooled 27 studies of naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions. Their meta-analysis found medium social and language gains. The computer game gives a quicker, low-prep way to hit similar targets.
Hesami et al. (2024) layered a vocabulary game onto ABA. Vocabulary went up, but the edge faded after two months. The 2014 game kept peer play at the center, so gains may stick better through daily classroom contact.
Why it matters
You can add this five-step tool to any kindergarten room: adult demo, peer turn, watch language grow. No extra staff, no hours of training. Try it during center time tomorrow.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
An intervention aiming to support children with social communication difficulties was tested using a randomised controlled design. Children aged 5-6 years old (n=32) were tested and selected for participation on the basis of their scores on the Test of Pragmatic Skills (TPS) and were then randomly assigned to the intervention arm or to the delayed intervention control group. Following previous research which suggested that computer technology may be particularly useful for this group of children, the intervention included a collaborative computer game which the children played with an adult. Subsequently, children's performance as they played the game with a classmate was observed. Micro-analytic observational methods were used to analyse the audio-recorded interaction of the children as they played. Pre- and post-intervention measures comprised the Test of Pragmatic Skills, children's performance on the computer game and verbal communication measures that the children used during the game. This evaluation of the intervention shows promise. At post-test, the children who had received the intervention, by comparison to the control group who had not, showed significant gains in their scores on the Test of Pragmatic Skills (p=.009, effect size r=-.42), a significant improvement in their performance on the computer game (p=.03, r=-.32) and significantly greater use of high-quality questioning during collaboration (p<.001, r=-.60). Furthermore, the children who received the intervention made significantly more positive statements about the game and about their partners (p=.02, r=-.34) suggesting that the intervention increased their confidence and enjoyment.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2014 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.07.026