A Randomized Control Trial of an Effective High-Dosage Tutoring Program for At-Risk Emergent Readers

• In Event: Early Childhood Education Curriculum

Abstract

The purpose of this RCT study was to examine the impact of one-to-one high-dosage tutoring on reading achievement of kindergarten and 1st grade students at-risk of reading failure. This two-year study collected reading assessment data from 268 kindergarten students randomly assigned to either the one-to-one high-dosage tutoring group or the teacher-instruction-only group; 185 were followed into 1st grade. Results from both Innovations for Learning assessments as well as nationally recognized assessments indicate that Innovations for Learning’s TutorMate Program is highly effective in helping at-risk kindergarten and 1st grade students achieve reading proficiency. Tutored students outperformed non-tutored students on multiple measures of reading achievement even though, at the start of the study, they were less proficient in reading than non-tutored students.

Authors

• Karen L. Kortecamp, The George Washington University

• Michelle L. Peters, University of Houston - Clear Lake