Kjersti Lundetræ|Jennifer M. Thomson
Rhythm production at school entry as a predictor of poor reading and spelling at the end of first grade
University of Stavanger|University of Stavanger
rhythm plays organisational role prosody phonology language children literacy difficulties found demonstrate poor rhythmic perception study explored whether students performance simple rhythm task school entry could serve predictor whether would face difficulties word reading spelling end grade 1 participants 479 norwegian 6yearold first graders randomized controls longitudinal rct track n 1171 rhythmic timing prereading skills tested individually school entry digital tablet rhythm task students told tap drum appearing screen two different rhythms 2 hz paced 15 hz paced childrens responses recorded tapped screen index finger significant group differences found rhythm tapping ability measured school entry groups defined upon whether children went score 20th percentile reading spelling thresholds national assessment tests end grade one inclusion schoolentry rhythmic tapping measure model classification accuracy threshold reading spelling improved accuracy classification 62 92 respectively