The main determinant of reading comprehension is the comprehension of spoken language.
Comprehension Game (CG) is meant to be used mainly with vocabulary the user already owns or which they can be introduced to in the context of the game.
A further determinant of reading comprehension is that the learner has sufficient reading skills – CG is a tool for those who have learned the basic reading skill using e.g. GraphoGame.
CG trains its users to become sufficiently fluent readers, i.e. to automatize their reading skills.
Thus, users of CG have sufficient capacity for comprehension – thought capacity is freed from the decoding related reading process which is automatized via reading enough.
The type of writing one is training themselves to comprehend is not a bottleneck because CG works in every language as the content is implemented by local people (most often teachers).
The lack of sufficient background knowledge of the learner does not compromise the learning process because CG can include content aimed at any skill level.
In fact, the primary goal of CG is to teach knowledge via reading. Reading comprehension is rather a consequence, thus making the training effective in two ways, if the game is used optimally.
A good starting age to the use of CG is when the age/grade-relevant knowledge starts to work as appropriate content, i.e. the first school books made for the child to read.
CG can be used for any written knowledge which can be represented as a series of true or false sentences.
CG is effective because it…
motivates learners to read sentences that encapsulate the key parts of the source material.
motivates users to judge each sentence in terms of whether it is true or not.
applies dynamic assessment identifying actual bottlenecks to open each of these in turn.
can provide frequent feedback, which supports learning and motivates to learn more.
works in subsequent sessions which lengths are selected to be age-appropriate.
has content that is made or selected to be as interesting as possible for the learner.
includes not true sentences to help the learner to distinguish and get rid of potential misunderstandings.
provides clear intermediate learning targets.
keeps learners active (i.e. repeating) until all key contents have been learned.
records and keeps in order the learning status of each of the “segments of knowledge”, such as one comprising a schoolbook whose mastery requires repeated training sessions.
can offer a wide knowledge-material base from which learners can choose.
