MindPlay online reading professional development: Enhancing teachers' skills for inclusive education

Document Type

Article

Source of Publication

Journal of Education and E Learning Research

Publication Date

3-17-2026

Abstract

Reading difficulties (RDs) present significant challenges for inclusive education, underscoring the need for professional development programs that equip teachers with evidence-based literacy instruction strategies. This study examined the effectiveness of the MindPlay Comprehensive Reading Course for Educators, an online professional development program combined with in-person training and coaching, used to enhance the knowledge and instructional skills of 48 in-service early childhood teachers in the United Arab Emirates working in inclusive classrooms. Using a mixed-methods design, the intervention included ten asynchronous online modules, a two-day face-to-face workshop, and ongoing coaching support. Quantitative findings revealed substantial gains in participants' reading-related knowledge, with post-intervention scores more than doubling pre-intervention scores across key domains, including phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension. Results from the comprehensive reading test demonstrated statistically significant improvement with a large effect size, indicating a strong program impact. Qualitative findings indicated high participant satisfaction, highlighting the program's practical applicability, flexibility, and alignment with evidence-based reading instruction. Participants reported increased confidence in implementing explicit, structured literacy strategies in inclusive classrooms while recommending extended training time and practicum-based experiences. Overall, the findings support blended professional development as an effective and scalable model for strengthening teacher competencies and advancing inclusive literacy practices.

ISSN

2518-0169

Publisher

Asian Online Journal Publishing Group

Volume

13

Issue

2

First Page

162

Last Page

171

Disciplines

Education

Keywords

Early childhood education, Inclusive education, MindPlay comprehensive reading course, Online professional development, Reading difficulties, Teacher training

Scopus ID

105039277397

Indexed in Scopus

yes

Open Access

yes

Open Access Type

Gold: This publication is openly available in an open access journal/series

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