Apps increase phonetic awareness 

Auður Ævarsdóttir, MS from the Faculty of Medicine 

"Usage of tablets for teaching has increased significantly in pre- and primary schools in Iceland. Despite this increase and rapid progress in technology, there is very little research available on the effectiveness of interactive teaching in the form of apps," says Auður Ævarsdóttir on her MS thesis in speech therapy. Auður's interest in reading and preparation for reading in preschools was the foundation for her study.

"There is an important foundation laid for education in reading and writing where the children begin understanding the significance and function of the written language. In view of different times and rapid technological development it is vital to examine well the use of tablets and apps in teaching and preparation for reading." 

Auður says that the Icelandic apps Lærum og leikum með hljóðin and Froskaleikir Hoppa were systematically used in two preschools in Iceland. "The objective of the study was to examine whether systematic instruction using apps with the aim of laying a foundation for literacy would better prepare the children for literacy in primary schools." Auður says that the study was aimed at two groups, on the one hand a research group from the two preschools that used the apps systematically. "On the other hand there was a control group of children from three preschools that had not used the apps in their teaching. 
 

All of the children consequently went to schools were the standard literacy system "Leið til læsis" was applied. The results in the reading system were consequently used to compare the two groups. Auður says that the literacy system is a multifarious support system in teaching children how to read, developed by an interdisciplinary team of research specialists. "The system is based on standardised literacy tests that show both teachers and parents of children in primary schools the status and progress in reading." 

The results of Auður's study showed that the children using the two apps showed better phonological- and phoneme awareness, as well as better alphabetical and sound recognition. "There was, however, no significant difference between the two groups in regards to vocabulary and understanding of the spoken language." Auður says it is important to offer children material of quality in apps as they have already become a significant part of young children's lives and research has shown that they work. 

Supervisor: Sigríður Dóra Magnúsdóttir, Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine.