WWC review of this study

Addressing Literacy Needs of Struggling Spanish-Speaking First Graders: First-Year Results from a National Randomized Controlled Trial of Descubriendo La Lectura

Borman, Trisha H.; Borman, Geoffrey D.; Houghton, Scott; Park, So Jung; Zhu, Bo; Martin, Alejandra; Wilkinson-Flicker, Sidney (2019). AERA Open v5 n3 p1-14 Jul-Sep 2019. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED604084

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
     examining 
    142
     Students
    , grade
    1

Reviewed: March 2023

At least one finding shows promising evidence of effectiveness
At least one statistically significant positive finding
Meets WWC standards without reservations
General Literacy Achievement outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - total

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
112 students

0.09

-0.08

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - Vocabulary subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
137 students

0.19

-0.10

No

--

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - Reading subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
112 students

0.07

-0.12

No

--

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - language subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
123 students

0.09

-0.04

No

--
Proficiency in a Language Other Than English outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - Language total

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

0.47

-0.47

Yes

 
 
33
 

Logramos - ELA Total

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
123 students

0.26

-0.29

Yes

 
 
21
 
Show Supplemental Findings

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - Text reading

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

0.52

-0.55

Yes

 
 
36

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - Writing Vocabulary

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

0.49

-0.51

Yes

 
 
34

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - Concepts About Print

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

0.44

-0.44

Yes

 
 
31

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - Letter Identification

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

0.29

-0.32

Yes

 
 
23

Logramos - Reading subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
124 students

0.26

-0.28

Yes

 
 
21

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - Ohio Word Test

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

0.26

-0.27

Yes

 
 
20

Logramos - Vocabulary subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
141 students

0.23

-0.24

Yes

 
 
18

Logramos - Language subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
138 students

0.20

-0.20

Yes

 
 
16

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - Sounds in Words

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

0.16

-0.18

Yes

 
 
13


Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.


  • 100% English language learners

  • Female: 45%
    Male: 55%
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    Arizona, Illinois, Texas
  • Race
    Other or unknown
    100%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    99%
    Other or unknown    
    1%
  • Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch
    Free or reduced price lunch (FRPL)    
    82%
    No FRPL    
    18%

Setting

The study was conducted in 22 elementary schools in 7 school districts across Arizona, Illinois, and Texas.

Study sample

The researchers randomly assigned 78 students to the intervention group and 74 students to the comparison group, for a total of 152 students. A total of 142 students in grade 1 from 22 elementary schools across 3 states (Arizona, Illinois, and Texas) were included in the study. All study participants were Spanish-speaking English learners identified as needing additional support in reading. Approximately 45% of the students were female, and 82% were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch. Almost all participants were Hispanic or Latino (99%).

Intervention Group

Descubriendo la Lectura (DLL) is a one-on-one tutoring program implemented in Spanish by trained bilingual teachers to Spanish-speaking students in grade 1 who are identified as needing additional support in reading. Students in the intervention group received DLL in addition to their regular bilingual instruction. Bilingual teachers implemented DLL for 30 minutes each day during the fall semester and used a highly structured set of activities for each lesson, including time spent on phonics. Students progressed through the intervention at their own pace, which took between 12 and 20 weeks.

Comparison Group

Students in the comparison group continued their regular bilingual instruction but did not receive one-on-one tutoring through the DLL program in the fall semester. Once data collection was completed, these students were eligible to receive DLL.

Support for implementation

To be certified as DLL teachers, the teachers had to (1) be certified bilingual teachers and (2) complete a one-year graduate-level course in DLL. They also received at least six professional development sessions during the school year when they were implementing the intervention.

Reviewed: April 2021

At least one finding shows promising evidence of effectiveness
At least one statistically significant positive finding
Meets WWC standards without reservations
Alphabetics outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - concepts about print subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
31
 

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - letter identification subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
23
 

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - sounds in words subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
13
 
English language proficiency outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - vocabulary subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
137 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - reading subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
112 students

N/A

N/A

No

--

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - language subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
123 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
General Literacy Achievement outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - total

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
33
 

Logramos - total

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
123 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
21
 

Iowa Test of Basic Skills (ITBS) - total

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
112 students

N/A

N/A

No

--
Show Supplemental Findings

Instrumento de Observacion - writing vocabulary subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
34

Logramos - reading subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
124 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
21

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - Ohio Word Test subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
20

Logramos - vocabulary subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
141 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
18

Logramos - language subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
138 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
16
Reading Fluency outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Instrumento de Observación (IDO) - text reading subtest

Descubriendo La Lectura (DLL) vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
142 students

N/A

N/A

Yes

 
 
36
 


Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.

Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.


  • 100% English language learners

  • Female: 45%
    Male: 55%
    • B
    • A
    • C
    • D
    • E
    • F
    • G
    • I
    • H
    • J
    • K
    • L
    • P
    • M
    • N
    • O
    • Q
    • R
    • S
    • V
    • U
    • T
    • W
    • X
    • Z
    • Y
    • a
    • h
    • i
    • b
    • d
    • e
    • f
    • c
    • g
    • j
    • k
    • l
    • m
    • n
    • o
    • p
    • q
    • r
    • s
    • t
    • u
    • x
    • w
    • y

    Arizona, Illinois, Texas
  • Race
    Other or unknown
    100%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    99%
    Not Hispanic or Latino    
    1%

Setting

The study was conducted in 22 elementary schools in seven school districts across Texas, Illinois, and Arizona.

Study sample

A total of 142 first-grade students were included in the study (73 in the intervention group and 69 in the comparison group). Students were eligible for participation because their home language was Spanish and they were among the lowest scoring 25% of students in their schools as determined by their score on a Spanish language diagnostic tool used to assess students’ literacy skills, the Instrumento de Observación. All students were English learners. Forty-five percent of students in the sample were female and almost all were Hispanic or Latino (99%). Eighty-two percent of students were eligible for free or reduced-price meal programs.

Intervention Group

Descubriendo la Lectura (DLL) is a one-on-one tutoring intervention implemented in Spanish by trained teachers. The goal of DLL is to improve the literacy skills of Spanish-speaking struggling readers. The intervention is implemented for 30 minutes each day and uses a highly structured set of activities for each lesson, including time spent on phonics. Students progress through the intervention at their own pace, which takes between 12 and 20 weeks.

Comparison Group

The comparison condition was business-as-usual for students in their schools.

Support for implementation

DLL teachers are supported through postgraduate training, mentoring from teacher leaders or DLL developers, and a minimum of six professional development sessions each year. DLL teachers monitor DLL students' progress daily and communicate with the classroom teacher to discuss students' progress and coordinate reading strategies.

 

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