• Tachistoscope: what it is and what it is used for
• Instant Reading, tachistoscope for tablet
• Setting up an exercise
• Performing an exercise
• Check results
• Preferences
• Adding and editing lists by the user
• Usage examples
• Credits

The name 'Tachistoscope' comes from the fusion of two Greek words and can be translated as "seeing very quickly". It is a tool capable of showing a series of images (or, as in this case) texts for a predetermined interval of time, which can be very short. It is currently used mainly by speech therapists and psychologists in the treatment of SpLD. Among the main purposes, the exercise and development of 'direct access to reading' (also called lexical access), that is, the ability to globally recognize a written word by recalling it from one's own lexical repertoire. The exercises are made up of Lists of words, syllables and non-words, of which the app presents one element at a time, leaving it visible for an interval set by the Operator (adjustable between fractions of a second and a few seconds).

Instant Reading is made for iPad. The app is easy to use, and includes all the main tachistoscope settings. Instant Reading contains over 90 built-in lists of words and non-words, consisting on average of about twenty items each. Each list can be used for the preparation of exercises with many possibilities for adjusting and customizing the execution parameters, according to the characteristics of the Reader and the expected results of the exercise.

In addition to alphabetically and by difficulty, Instant Reading lists can also be ordered according to the usage area/areas of intervention.

The persistence of each stimulus, a fundamental parameter of the exercise, can be adjusted between three seconds and fifty milliseconds.

The app works with both portrait and landscape orientation. Landscape mode is preferable if the stimuli lateralization option is active.

Note: The images on this page are taken from the iPad version. Some screens in the Android app are organized differently, but the controls and how to use them are the same.

An Instant Reading view is dedicated to setting up exercises. It contains all the commands and advanced options that allow you to select a list, set the persistence time, choose the response mode and set all the other parameters.

It is very simple to use and the functions are shown in panels of different colors. Furthermore, by pressing the Help button you can see an information panel.

The Settings Help panel offers two options:

- a timed Quick Tutorial, which is a short presentation showing the location and essential information of the controls, and which can be interrupted by simply touching the screen;

- a series of detailed information on the characteristics and use of all the available settings, which are:

choice of the list, duration of visibility of each element, type of response, automatic/manual advancement, appearance and size of the text, use of the crosshair, position of the elements on the screen during the presentation, reaction to wrong answers, use of visual masking.

For information on the listed settings clic here or scroll to the bottom of this page.

In the image on the left, one of the steps of the Quick Tutorial highlights the location of the controls used to adjust the font, size, and color of the text of items.

After choosing the list and completing the settings it is possible to start. A panel will summarize the parameters of the exercise.

In the image on the side, an element from one of the '4 SYLLABLE DERIVATIVE WORDS' lists. Below is the moment of the response, in this case given in writing.

The default name is 'Reader #1'. If the app is used with just one reader, it will be sufficient to enter and confirm his/her name when saving for the first time. Instant Reading will remember the name entered and propose it for subsequent saves.

All saved exercises are visible in the Results and Exercise Data screen.

The list of exercises can be sorted in different ways. If the app is used by multiple readers, it is possible to choose to see only the exercises of one user.

When one of saved exercises is selected in the table, the bottom panel shows all the data and statistics and you can repeat the exercise using the same settings as the saved one. This feature can be very useful for quickly performing previously prepared exercises.

An exercise can be also deleted. A message will ask for confirmation before proceeding with the deletion, which is not reversible. The deleted exercise data will no longer be accessible. 

On Instant Reading home screen, there is also the Set Preferences button. Tapping it opens a panel that allows to set two general options:

- choose whether, during the execution of the exercises, successes and errors are highlighted with sounds, and possibly adjust the relative volume*;

- allow repetition of an element during exercises. This function, active by default, allows to review an element before answering**.

*Please note that the overall volume and sound enablement depend on the tablet's audio settings.

**Repetition makes easier correct identification and can be useful in case of occasional distractions during the presentation of an element, especially with automatic advancement. However, some young Readers tend to use it systematically, with the risk of altering the validity of the results obtained.

The app also includes commands to quickly create and add custom Lists. Added lists can be edited (and deleted) and are shown in color in the list of available exercises.
The ability to add new lists increases the flexibility of Instant Reader, allowing the Therapist/Teacher to easily prepare exercises dedicated to specific needs.

To obtain the best results, Instant Reading should be used under the supervision of a Therapist/Teacher who suggests its use and creates a personalized path for the needs of the readers, choosing the area of usage and the lists, and updating the settings as the treatment progresses. However, for indicative and example purposes only, below are listed some cases of initial use of the app, indicating characteristics of the readers, chosen list, preferred settings for the first exercises and subsequent evolution of the treatment with Instant Reading.

Example 1

7-year-old Reader with difficulty in spelling. 

Start of treatment: 2-SYLLABLE WORDS WITH B/P/D/Q #1 list - persistence 700ms - Written response - automatic advancement - Verdana font, lowercase, large size -  center screen position - error display enabled - crosshair off - visual masking off. 

Next step: More similar lists available in the Visual perception area. Gradual reduction of persistence times and font sizes.

Example 2

8-year-old reader with difficulty lexical access in reading. 

Start of treatment: 3-SYLLABLE WORDS #1 list - 300ms persistence - Written/Chosen response - automatic advancement - Arial font, lowercase, medium size -  position toggle available options - error display on - crosshair yes - visual masking no. 

Next step: similar lists, of increasing complexity, available in the Lexical Access and then Advanced Lexical Access usage areas. If necessary, temporarily increase the persistence in the first exercises with lists containing long or difficult words.

Example 3

8 year old Reader with reading and writing difficulties. 

Start of treatment: list 2-SYLLABLE WORDS WITH 'CH' - persistence 200ms - Written response - automatic advancement - Arial font, in lowercase, medium-small size -  center position - error display on - crosshair off - visual masking off. 

Next step: 3-syllable and 4-syllable lists, available in the Spelling Correction area. Persistence, start at 300ms or more,  then gradually reduce.

Note: During the first exercises, while readers learn to use the app, the results obtained may be significantly lower than expected. By repeating the same lists in subsequent sessions, after familiarity with the presentation-response operating sequence has been acquired, the results will tend to improve significantly. 

About Settings

Choosing lists

The panel contains lists of words to be used for the exercises. The lists can be ordered alphabetically, by difficulty or by area (the Areas of usage collect a series of targeted exercises to practice or rehabilitate a particular skill, for example spelling). Tap the chosen list to select it. The data of selected list is displayed on the right side of the panel. To start, Order the exercises by area, scroll the list until the usage area you are interested in is displayed and select the first exercise proposed.  

List of Instant Reading Usage Areas. In brackets the number of lists available for each area.

• Lexical access (26)

• Lexical access -advanced- (58)

• Progressive syllabic learning (44)

• Spelling correction (86)

• Phonological errors (47)

• Visual Perception (5)

Item visibility duration

Visibility interval is the fundamental parameter of exercises with tachistoscope. Visibility can vary between 3 seconds and 1/20 of a second. The shorter the persistence time, the greater the difficulty in identifying. The time must be adjusted according to the needs of each Reader and can be reduced as the results obtained improve.

Response Types

After the presentation and disappearance of each element, the Reader must identify it. There are three types of response: written, chosen from three different options or confirmed by the Therapist/Teacher/Parent who proposes and follows the exercise. In addition to recognition, the written response also allows for practicing phonemic analysis.  The choice between three options makes identification easier, while confirmation can be set when the other two response types are not usable, or to speed up the exercise by focusing only on presentation and recognition.

Exercise progress

In automatic progression, the presentation of each item follows the response to the previous. In manual mode, the presentation of the next element is controlled by a button. The automatic mode speeds up the execution of the exercises, the manual mode allows to increase the attention of the Reader.

Text appearance and colors

Controls for choosing type, size and color of items (and background). Large sizes and uppercase text make easier to detect elements.

Advanced settings

Some options allow to set preferences and adapt the exercise to particular needs.

Enabling the CROSSHAIR causes the presentation to be preceded by the display of a pointer for the established time. It allows to improve the attention, focusing it on the element to be identified.

 In addition to the center of the screen, the POSITION of the elements can be set to lateralize the stimuli. With this option, it is recommended to use the iPad in landscape horientation and not to choose font sizes that are too large. The random position adds an element of difficulty to the exercises and trains the Reader's attention and alertness.

 When the Reader makes an ERROR during an exercise, it is possible to show the element that was not correctly identified before presenting the next element.

 VISUAL MASKING consists of a series of characters that are displayed immediately after the presentation of each element of the exercise. This function allows to reduce the effects of retinal persistence of the text image, controlling more precisely the display times of the stimuli.

 

Credits

The author would like to thank Logopedist Antonella Santoro for the app design and supervision of its development and operation. Thanks to Logopedist Nazarena Martino for contributing to the pre-release testing of the app.

 

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