The effects of ABRACADABRA on reading outcomes: An updated meta‐analysis and landscape review of applied field research.

ABRACADABRA (ABRA) is an evidence‐based suite of interactive multimedia that engages learners in the development of core reading skills. This meta‐analysis presents an update of the research evidence about the effectiveness of ABRA for elementary students. It reports 91 effect sizes in six reading‐related outcomes for a sample of 7,388 students. Regardless of context and measurement type, the studies yielded positive effects of ABRA, ranging in magnitude from g+ = 0.080 for Vocabulary Knowledge to g+ = 0.378 for Phonemic Awareness and reaching statistical significance in four outcome categories. This meta‐analysis adds to our understanding of the effectiveness of ABRA‐based reading instruction by exploring factors of research design, ABRA design and implementation contexts, and various student characteristics and offers implications for instructional practice. Lay Description: What is known about the subject matterIf well‐designed and ‐implemented, computer‐based instruction can have positive effects on learning.Early literacy instruction could substantially benefit from technology use.Among offline and online computer applications targeting literacy, ABRA is a top‐rated software.17 field studies of ABRA were completed in the UK, China, Hong Kong, Canada, Australia and Kenya.What paper addsThis paper summarizes 91 effect sizes in 6 reading‐related outcomes based on a sample of 7,388 students.Independent of design, context and measurement type, the studies yielded positive effects in 6 outcomes.The highest effects were for Phonics, Phonemic Awareness, Reading and Listening Comprehension.ABRA effects are consistent across different student categories implications of study.Findings for practitionersIn authentic classrooms where ABRA is in the hands of teachers, fidelity of implementation is critical.Quality implementation means teaching literacy in a balanced way with attention to decoding and comprehension.ABRA instruction is student‐centered where students interact with the tool individually, in pairs or small groups.Ideas on ABRA literacy instruction are at https://grover.concordia.ca/resources/abra/teacher/en/index.p [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]