Can a Volunteer-Led Reading Program Improve Students' Reading Abilities?

• In Event: Hilton Roundtable Session 6
  In Roundtable Session: Exploring School-Based Supports for Literacy and Writing

Abstract

Volunteer-led reading programs may be powerful tools to support struggling elementary readers’ reading abilities. These programs provide consistent, one-one-one reading support for elementary readers and are attractive for school districts because of their low cost. This study used propensity score matching, a quasi-experimental method, to evaluate the impact of a year-long volunteer-led reading program on the reading abilities of 150 second grade students. At the end of the school year, the reading abilities of students in the program were not different from students in a matched-control group, indicating that the volunteer-led reading program did not meaningfully improve students’ reading abilities in comparison to typical practice. Implications for practice are discussed.

Authors

• David J. Osman, Gibson Consulting

• Jessica Murdter-Atkinson, The University of Texas - Austin