Evaluation of a Personalized Game-Based Learning app for Developing Young Children's Reading Skills

Early literacy development is crucial for academic success, yet the COVID-19 pandemic has widened pre-existing educational gaps, particularly affecting students from low-income households through uneven access to quality remote instruction and learning technology. While educational technology offers promising solutions for personalized learning, many digital tools lack robust evidence of effectiveness. This paper reports a quasi-experimental study investigating the impact of My Reading Academy , an adaptive, game-based literacy program, on early reading skills in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten students. The study involved 1,092 students (402 treatment, 690 comparison) across 14 schools, using propensity score weighting and hierarchical linear models to analyze program impact. Results showed significant gains in literacy skills among kindergarten students using My Reading Academy , particularly in alphabet knowledge. Pre-kindergarten students who mastered more than half of the alphabet knowledge content in the program showed enhanced performance compared to peers. Teachers reported the program effectively supported personalized instruction and classroom equity.