Examining the Impact of the ABRACADABRA (ABRA) Web-Based Literacy Program on Primary School Students in Hong Kong

• In Event: 34.078 - Roundtable Session 13
  In Roundtable Session: 34.078-13 - Impact of Technology on Literacy and Digital Literacy

Abstract

The current paper examined the effects of ABRACADABRA, a web-based literacy program on primary school children in Hong Kong. Participants were 249 Primary 1 students from two low SES schools in Hong Kong. All participating students were pre-tested in the fall and post-tested in the following spring. After adjusting for pretest differences, the treatment school scored significantly higher than the controls on three of the six outcome measures. The outcomes of the study provides some promising evidence of the effects of ABRA on Chinese primary students in Hong Kong, especially on the enhancement of phonological skills, thus leading to early success in the formative years of learning English as a Second Language (ESL). Practical implications are discussed.

Authors

• Alan Cheung, The Chinese University of Hong Kong

• Barley Mak

• Xin Guo, The Chinese University of Hong Kong