Results From a Phase-2 Exploratory Trial of Fluency and Comprehension Instruction in English Elementary Schools

• In Event: Cooperative Learning

Abstract

In England, although ranked 10th of 71 countries in PISA 2018 reading assessments (OECD, 2019), 27% of students aged 11 failed to read at age-appropriate levels (DfE, 2019).

Results are reported of a Phase-2 (Exploratory) randomized controlled trial of FliC, a targeted fluency and comprehension program designed to improve reading outcomes in elementary schools. The program upskills school-staff to deliver instruction to children aged 7-9 for 720minutes (over 12-weeks). Twelve schools from four high poverty English districts participated, with a sample of 186 children. Positive effect sizes of +0.26 on overall reading scores were observed, on an independently designed reading test. This intervention shows excellent promise as a technique to improve overall reading (mainly through enhancing sentence level reading comprehension).

Authors

• Maria Paz Cockerill, Queen's University - Belfast

• Allen Thurston, Queen's University - Belfast

• Joanne O'Keeffe, Queen's University - Belfast

• Tien-Hui Chiang, Anhui Normal University