A play-based program designed to engage rhythmic skills as protective factors for reading disorders

Abstract

Current research on dyslexia shows that learning to read is preceded and influenced, along with other early literacy skills, by the development of phonological awareness. Also, rhythmic and phonological skills are often impaired in individuals with reading disorders. Several studies suggest that phonological awareness is effectively trained through rhythmic music training.

The article presents a play-based program that allows children to engage in semi-structured rhythmic music activities, aiming to enhance the essential rhythmic skills connected to phonological awareness, conducted in the ecological environment of their homes.

An observational study was conducted on a group of 4 children, aged between 4.11 and 5.7 years, who participated in a play-based training program. Pre- and post-exposure evaluations were conducted to assess early literacy skills using Italian standardized tests.

All 4 children involved in the study showed individual and median improvements in all the assessed phonological awareness skills pre- and post-exposure. The results can be considered as a pilot to further research in order to support phonological awareness with rhythm, promote reading skills, and prevent reading disorders.