Graphogame is a child-friendly computer game that helps children to learn the basic letters and their sounds. Through a series of levels, gradually, the child is able to construct these letters into small words and then larger words.  Importantly, the game incorporates a dynamic element in that it also adapts to the child’s own level of ability and sets further levels in accordance with this ability. This prevents frustration in the context of learning while, at the same time, enjoyable positive feedback sustains the child’s interest in playing for sufficient time for learning to be established.

• By playing the game, children learn the most typical letter-sound relations in a synthetic-type phonics approach.
• Once they know the basic sounds/letters, they gradually move onto short and increasingly longer words.

Playable Demos

These are demo versions of Graphogame. They are not intended for children, as they contain only a handful of content.

	Level Types Demo			GGRime Demo
Launch in a window	Launch in the browser		Launch in a window	Launch in the browser
This demo showcases some of the available game types.			This demo shows the theoretical progression of the game as described below. It contains shortened versions of selected levels rather than the complete game.

Requires Java 1.5+

Background

• Graphogame was originally designed in Finland to help children learn letter- sound correspondences. The EU funded a large-scale cross-linguistic investigation of Graphogame in Finland, Switzerland, Holland and Britain.
• The first English adaptation of Graphogame (GG Phoneme) was developed along the same theoretical framework used in the Finnish version. Finnish is a transparent orthography whereas English is an opaque orthography. However, while English is inconsistent at the level of single phoneme-grapheme correspondences, it is a more consistent orthography at the level of larger units, in particular the rime.
• Usha Goswami, University of Cambridge and Fiona Kyle, University of Jyväskylä and University of Cambridge have developed a second version of Graphogame (GG Rime) which teaches letter-sound knowledge both at the level of the single phoneme-grapheme correspondence and at the larger unit size of the rime. This also incorporates a small element of phonological awareness training.

GG Phoneme

• Teaches letter sound knowledge at the level of single phoneme-grapheme correspondences.
• Introduces all phonemes and corresponding graphemes, including vowel diagraphs, starting with the most prototypical and consistent correspondences “s” “i” “t” “oa” “oo”.
• Blends these sounds into CV digraphs and VC digraphs “su” “loi” “oax”.
• Combines into CVC words and then more complex CCVC and CVCC.

GG Rime

• Teaches letter sound knowledge both at the level of single phoneme-grapheme correspondences and at the larger unit size of the rime.
• Introduces a small set of phonemes and corresponding graphemes starting with the most prototypical and consistent “s” “i” “t” “p” “a” “n”.
• Blends this small set of phonemes and graphemes into VC rime units, starting with those from dense rime neighbourhoods with consistent spelling “it” “at” “ap”.
• Blends the VC rime units into familiar CVC words “sit” “sat” “pit” “pat” ”tap”.
• Then starts with another small set of phonemes and corresponding graphemes and similarly builds them up into words.
• Introduces more complex word structures and vowel digraphs through the rime and also contains “catch the rhyme” levels.

For more information:

	In search of a science-based application: a learning tool for reading acquisition Heikki Lyytinen, Jane Erskine, Janne Kujala, Emma Ojanen, and Ulla Richardson. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology, Vol. 50, Number 6, pp. 668-675, December 2009.
	Language in Zambia Sirarpi Ohannessian, Mubanga E. Kashoki. International African Institute, 1978.