A Digital Early Spelling Game: The Role of Auditory and Visual Support

Abstract

We constructed a computer game to support preschoolers’ early word spelling without an adult’s assistance. The study explored the relative influence of auditory and visual digital supports on children’s performance. Participants were 96 preschoolers who were randomly assigned into one of three groups: no support, auditory only support, or auditory + visual support. Children in each group played the digital game during eight meetings, and the computer recorded their activity. The auditory + visual support group scored significantly higher than the no support group on all letter tasks. We did not find significant differences between the two groups that received support, nor did we find differences between the auditory only support compared to the no support group, except for writing the last letter. The study shows that a digital game can help preschoolers progress in their spelling skills without the support of an adult. Auditory support is important, and the visual support significantly adds to children’s spelling performance.