Enhancing reading skills in at-risk students: the combined effects of smartphone format, cardiac coherence, positive feedback, and interest-based personalization.

Introduction: Illiteracy remains a persistent challenge in disadvantaged educational contexts, particularly within Priority Education Network (REP+) schools in Martinique (French West Indies)-a designation in the French educational system for schools located in highly underserved socioeconomic areas requiring additional pedagogical support. This study explores the effects of four pedagogical strategies-smartphone-like formatting, cardiac coherence breathing (an emotional regulation technique), positive feedback, and interest-based text personalization-on reading fluency, comprehension, motivation, and self-esteem in at-risk students.

Methods: A total of 120 students from CM1 to 3e participated across four intervention conditions. Data on reading fluency, comprehension, motivation, and self-esteem were collected and analyzed using paired samples -tests and repeated measures ANOVA.

Results: Each intervention produced significant improvements in one or more outcomes, and all improvements were statistically significant ( < 0.05). Smartphone-like layout improved fluency by 18.5%, enhanced comprehension by 38%, and reduced errors by 48%. Cardiac coherence enhanced comprehension by 35%, reduced errors by 45%, and decreased reading time by 19%. Positive feedback improved self-esteem by 61% and reduced errors by 42%. Personalized texts yielded the strongest effects, improving motivation (+56%), self-esteem (+70%), and comprehension (+54%).

Conclusion: The findings highlight the independent value of cognitive, emotional, and motivational levers in literacy interventions for vulnerable learners.