Dyslexia isn’t just frustrating for children struggling to decipher squiggles as letters. At schools that can’t support students one-on-one, it can be costly for parents who turn to private reading tutors.
A new virtual reality game led by Terps offers an alternative, helping kids to learn letters, build words, and connect sight and sound as they race through obstacles in a fantasy world—while still in their classrooms.
IRIS Reads, co-developed by education Associate Professor Donald J. Bolger, linguistics Professor Juan Uriagereka and physics Professor Drew Baden and helmed by CEO Anne-Laurence Nemorin ’20, has students ages 8-13 travel to Antarctica, the Great Wall of China and the pyramids of Giza to chase time bandits who have stolen historic objects. Through each level, students might “grab” different letters out of the air to create words or “slice and dice” words into different syllables (à la Fruit Ninja) to gain confidence in reading.
Using a VR headset removes distractions, especially welcome for dyslexic kids who also struggle with attention and auditory or visual processing, says Bolger, who investigates the neurocognitive underpinnings of language development and reading. “Your whole body is engaged,” he says. “These are fundamental skills, but it’s also really fun.”
The game has been tested in schools around the D.C. metro area that specialize in dyslexia. Students have demonstrated a 13-22% increase in standard reading scores after playing regularly in class. The team plans to launch it this summer for home and classroom use.
