Cheng X, Yin L, Lin C, Shi Z, Zheng H, Zhu L, Liu X, Chen K, Dong R. Chatbot dialogic reading boosts comprehension for Chinese kindergarteners with higher language skills.
J Exp Child Psychol 2024;
240:105842. [PMID:
38184956 DOI:
10.1016/j.jecp.2023.105842]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
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's effect on story comprehension was moderated by children's language proficiency rather than age or reading ability. This demonstrates that chatbots can facilitate dialogic reading and highlights the importance of considering children's language skills when implementing chatbot dialogic interventions.
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