Date
Publisher
ScienceDirect
Dialogic reading promotes early language and literacy development, but high-quality interactions may be inaccessible to disadvantaged children. This study examined whether a chatbot could deliver dialogic reading support comparable to a human partner for Chinese kindergarteners. Using a 2 _ 2 factorial design, 148 children (83 girls; Mage = 70.07 months, SD = 7.64) from less resourced families in Beijing, China, were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: dialogic or non-dialogic reading techniques with either a chatbot or human partner. The chatbot provided comparable dialogic support to the human partner, enhancing story comprehension and word learning. Critically, the chatbot effect on story comprehension was moderated by children language proficiency rather than age or reading ability. This demonstrates that chatbots can facilitate dialogic reading and highlights the importance of considering children language skills when implementing chatbot dialogic interventions.
Study at a glance
- Question: Can a chatbot provide reading support comparable to a human partner for young children?
- Setting and data: 148 kindergarten children from less resourced families in Beijing, China.
- Method: Randomized controlled trial testing chatbot versus human partners across two reading approaches (2 x 2 factorial design).
Why it matters
Dialogic reading promotes early language and literacy development, but high-quality interactions may be inaccessible to disadvantaged children. This raises the question of whether chatbots can deliver dialogic reading support comparable to a human partner.
Key findings
- Among 148 kindergarteners from less-resourced families in Beijing, an interactive reading chatbot enhanced story comprehension and word learning as effectively as human partners.
- The reading chatbot specifically boosted story comprehension for kindergarteners who possessed higher language skills.
- Children's age and reading ability did not influence how much the chatbot improved their story comprehension.
Summary drafted with AI from the paper’s abstract and may contain errors. See the full paper for details.
What is the application?
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