Beat Synchronization and Reading: The Feasibility of Music and Video Game Trainings

The prevalence of reading disabilities ranges from 5% to 12%, making it important to support reading programs. More specifically, children with reading disabilities show difficulties in beat synchronization that requires fine audio-motor synchrony. This synchrony, which demonstrates temporal processing skills, is linked to reading development. The purpose of the present study was to establish the feasibility of 2 music training programs for reading through practicing beat synchronization and to explore the preliminary efficacy of these programs for third graders identified as having reading challenges. Two participants attended the rhythmic music exercise group where they performed musical tasks set to a metronome beat. Two other participants attended the video game playing group where they played Donkey Konga. Each group attended a 30-minute session twice a week for 4 weeks. The Gray Oral Reading Test Fifth Edition (GORT-5) was used to assess reading ability. Selected subtests from the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Awareness Second Edition (CTOPP-2) were used to assess phonological processing. Feasibility data indicated that both programs were successfully implemented and well received by the participants. While preliminary-efficacy analysis demonstrated positive trends in the reading and phonological awareness tests for the rhythmic music exercise group and mixed results for the video game playing group, a large, controlled pilot study is needed to determine the effects of these training programs. Music therapists may potentially apply the proposed rhythmic music exercises to address reading-related goals.