Discussion
In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of a newly created version of GraphoGame for Dutch-speaking beginning readers, employing active (math game) and passive (no game) control conditions in 16 first-grade classrooms in the Netherlands and Flanders. The main purpose of this game was to intensify exposure to relevant early reading materials and to provide additional training for struggling beginning readers on top of mainstream reading instruction in the classroom. The novelty in our study was not only a newly created Dutch adaptation of an existing game-based literacy framework, but also the inclusion of entire first-grade classrooms, in-game assessments and exposure parameters yielding individualised metrics allowing accurate monitoring of individual progress throughout the game. Beyond an overall evaluation of response to intervention, we explored three factors to determine the effectiveness of digital game-based learning in early literacy training within the framework of a single study: participant characteristics, intervention properties, and assessment tools.