Effectiveness of gamification and game-based learning in Spanish adolescents with dyslexia: A longitudinal quasi-experimental research.
Game-style Spanish lessons give dyslexic teens large reading gains in just 15 one-hour classes.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Vassos et al. (2023) swapped normal Spanish-literature lessons for game-style classes.
Teens with dyslexia played quizzes, story quests, and point games for fifteen one-hour sessions.
The team then checked reading scores against peers who kept the usual teacher talk.
What they found
After only 15 hours, the game group posted big jumps in reading fluency and course grades.
The teens also said the classes felt fun, not stressful.
How this fits with other research
Mae Simcoe et al. (2018) tracked deaf and hard-of-hearing teens and showed that early language work still matters in high school. M et al. prove you can move the needle quickly at that same age if you switch how you teach.
Layng et al. (2004) taught beginning readers new letter sounds in one shot using tight discovery loops. M et al. stretch that idea into full literature games for older kids, showing the trick still works after the basics are set.
Adi-Japha et al. (2011) found that kids with language delays need extra nights to lock in new skills. M et al. got overnight gains anyway, likely because the game format gave many spaced repeats within each hour.
Why it matters
You can weave points, stories, and quickfire quizzes into any high-school lesson. Fifteen short bursts lifted reading scores without extra staff or fancy gear. Try turning your next comprehension task into a team quest and track the data—you may see the same leap.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Gamification and game-based learning can provide motivating learning opportunities. The scientific literature suggests that these play strategies could be supportive tools for the learning of students with diagnosed dyslexia. AIMS: This study compares the effectiveness of an educational gamification and game-based learning (GBL) methodology versus a transmissive methodology for the improvement of reading processes and academic performance in the subject of Spanish Language and Literature in Spanish high school students with dyslexia. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Longitudinal quasi-experimental research was conducted with control and experimental groups. Ninety students with a mean age of 14.22 years (SD = 0.95) participated in the study. The assessment instruments used were the PROLEC-SE reading process assessment battery and academic performance through subject grades. The intervention with the experimental group consisted of gamification and GBL of 15 one-hour sessions in which students' oral and written skills were worked with playful learning strategies. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The results indicate that the experimental group had statistically significant improvement in their reading skills (η2g = 0.616) and academic performance, albeit less in pseudoword speed, compared to the control group (η2g = 0.197). CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: The study highlights the usefulness of gamification and GBL as practical tools for meaningful learning in students with dyslexia.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2023 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2023.104603