Skip Navigation

What Works Clearinghouse

Find What Works

Summarize and compare the evidence of the effectiveness of interventions that address your school or district’s needs.

Results. 45 Interventions found

Your filters:       Literacy     |     Alphabetics     |     Reading comprehension     |    Remove all remove all filters

Results by Outcome Domain

Sort by 
Jump to findings for:

Alphabetics
InterventionTopicImprovement IndexEffectiveness RatingExtent Of Evidence
Early Intervention in Reading (EIR)® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
36
 Potentially positive effects Small
Reading Recovery® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
34
 Positive effects Medium to Large
Stepping Stones to Literacy Literacy (Beginning Reading)
30
 Positive effects Small
Ladders to Literacy Literacy (Beginning Reading)
25
 Potentially positive effects Medium to Large
Earobics® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
25
 Positive effects Small
DaisyQuest Literacy (Beginning Reading)
23
 Positive effects Small
Sound Partners Literacy (Beginning Reading)
21
 Positive effects Medium to Large
SpellRead™ Literacy (Adolescent)
21
 Potentially positive effects Small
Waterford Early Reading Program Literacy (Beginning Reading)
19
 Potentially positive effects Small
SpellRead™ Literacy (Beginning Reading)
18
 Positive effects Small
Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) Literacy (Beginning Reading)
17
 Potentially positive effects Small
Start Making a Reader Today® (SMART®) Literacy (Beginning Reading)
16
 Potentially positive effects Small
Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies Literacy (Beginning Reading)
14
 Potentially positive effects Medium to Large
Success for All® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
13
 Positive effects Medium to Large
Wilson Reading System® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
13
 Potentially positive effects Small
Lexia Reading Literacy (Beginning Reading)
11
 Potentially positive effects Small
Voyager Universal Literacy System® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
11
 Potentially positive effects Medium to Large
Corrective Reading Literacy (Beginning Reading)
9
 Potentially positive effects Small
Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) Children and Youth with Disabilities (Students with Learning Disabilities)
9
 Potentially positive effects Small
Read, Write & Type!™ Literacy (Beginning Reading)
8
 Potentially positive effects Small
Fast ForWord® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
6
 Positive effects Medium to Large
Corrective Reading Literacy (Adolescent)
4
 No discernible effects Small
Fast ForWord® Literacy (Adolescent)
2
 No discernible effects Small
Failure Free Reading Literacy (Beginning Reading)
1
 No discernible effects Small
SuccessMaker® Literacy (Adolescent)
1
 No discernible effects Small
Top

Reading comprehension
InterventionTopicImprovement IndexEffectiveness RatingExtent Of Evidence
Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies Children and Youth with Disabilities (Students with Learning Disabilities)
26
 Potentially positive effects Small
Sound Partners Literacy (Beginning Reading)
21
 Positive effects Medium to Large
SpellRead™ Literacy (Beginning Reading)
20
 Potentially positive effects Small
Project CRISS® Literacy (Adolescent)
20
 Potentially positive effects Medium to Large
Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies Literacy (Adolescent)
19
 Potentially positive effects Small
Early Intervention in Reading (EIR)® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
18
 Potentially positive effects Small
Reading Recovery® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
14
 Potentially positive effects Small
Start Making a Reader Today® (SMART®) Literacy (Beginning Reading)
14
 Potentially positive effects Small
Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition® (CIRC®) Literacy (Beginning Reading)
12
 Potentially positive effects Medium to Large
Lexia Reading Literacy (Beginning Reading)
11
 Potentially positive effects Small
SuccessMaker® Literacy (Adolescent)
11
 Potentially positive effects Medium to Large
SpellRead™ Literacy (Adolescent)
11
 Potentially positive effects Small
Failure Free Reading Literacy (Beginning Reading)
10
 Potentially positive effects Small
Ladders to Literacy Literacy (Beginning Reading)
9
 Mixed effects Medium to Large
Success for All® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
8
 Mixed effects Medium to Large
Fast ForWord® Literacy (Adolescent)
8
 Potentially positive effects Medium to Large
Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) Children and Youth with Disabilities (Students with Learning Disabilities)
8
 No discernible effects Small
Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition® (CIRC®) Literacy (Adolescent)
7
 Potentially positive effects Medium to Large
Corrective Reading Literacy (Beginning Reading)
7
 No discernible effects Small
Wilson Reading System® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
7
 No discernible effects Small
Student team reading and writing Literacy (Adolescent)
7
 Potentially positive effects Medium to Large
Open Court Reading Literacy (Adolescent)
6
 Potentially positive effects Small
Fast ForWord® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
6
 Mixed effects Medium to Large
Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) Literacy (Beginning Reading)
6
 No discernible effects Small
Reciprocal Teaching Literacy (Adolescent)
6
 Mixed effects Medium to Large
Reading Edge Literacy (Adolescent)
5
 No discernible effects Small
Waterford Early Reading Program Literacy (Beginning Reading)
4
 No discernible effects Small
Read 180® Literacy (Adolescent)
4
 Potentially positive effects Medium to Large
Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies Literacy (Beginning Reading)
3
 Mixed effects Small
Accelerated Reader™ Literacy (Adolescent)
3
 No discernible effects Medium to Large
Read, Write & Type!™ Literacy (Beginning Reading)
3
 No discernible effects Small
Corrective Reading Literacy (Adolescent)
3
 No discernible effects Small
Talent Development Middle Grades Program Literacy (Adolescent)
3
 Potentially positive effects Small
Read Naturally® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
2
 No discernible effects Small
Reading Apprenticeship® Literacy (Adolescent)
2
 Potentially positive effects Small
Reading Plus® Literacy (Adolescent)
2
 Potentially positive effects Small
Accelerated Reader™ Literacy (Beginning Reading)
0
 Mixed effects Medium to Large
LANGUAGE!® Literacy (Adolescent)
-5
 No discernible effects Small
Reading Mastery Literacy (Adolescent)
-7
 No discernible effects Small
Fluency Formula™ Literacy (Beginning Reading)
-11
 Potentially negative effects Small
Voyager Universal Literacy System® Literacy (Beginning Reading)
-25
 Potentially negative effects Small
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Literacy (Adolescent) Unavailable No discernible effects Small
Top

Research Details

Intervention

Topic

Evidence

Number of Studies For Intervention

Combined Sample Size

Intervention Characteristics Examined in the Reviewed Research Studies

Report Date

Outcome Domain

Improve-
ment
Index

Effectiveness
Rating

Extent of
Evidence

Total

Meets
Stan-
dards

Meets
with
Reser-
vations

# of Schls

# of Students

Grades

Delivery Method

Program Type
Accelerated Reader™ Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 3 No Discernible Effects Medium to Large 318 1 1 23 2877 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Individual August 2010
Accelerated Reader™ Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 0 Mixed Effects Medium to Large 100 2 0 12 210 K, 1, 2, 3 Individual October 2008
Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension na No Discernible Effects Small 66 0 1 4 96 9, 10 Whole Class September 2010
Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition® (CIRC®) Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 12 Potentially Positive Effects Medium to Large 2 1 1 12 712 1, 2, 3, 4 Small Group, Whole Class June 2012
Cooperative Integrated Reading and Composition® (CIRC®) Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 7 Potentially Positive Effects Medium to Large 52 0 2 9 1460 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Whole Class, Whole School August 2010
Corrective Reading Beginning Reading Alphabetics 9 Potentially Positive Effects Small 25 1 0 8 70 3 Small Group July 2007
Corrective Reading Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 7 No Discernible Effects Small 25 1 0 8 70 3 Small Group July 2007
Corrective Reading Adolescent Literacy Alphabetics 4 No Discernible Effects Small 129 1 0 7 86 5 Small Group September 2010
Corrective Reading Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 3 No Discernible Effects Small 129 1 0 7 86 5 Small Group September 2010
DaisyQuest Beginning Reading Alphabetics 23 Positive Effects Small 5 4 0 5 223 PK, K, 1 Individual September 2006
Early Intervention in Reading (EIR)® Beginning Reading Alphabetics 36 Potentially Positive Effects Small 7 1 0 2 56 1 Small Group November 2008
Early Intervention in Reading (EIR)® Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 18 Potentially Positive Effects Small 7 1 0 2 57 1 Small Group November 2008
Earobics® Beginning Reading Alphabetics 25 Positive Effects Small 28 2 2 6 246 K, 1, 2, 3 Individual January 2009
Failure Free Reading Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 10 Potentially Positive Effects Small 59 1 0 8 93 3 Individual, Small Group, Whole Class July 2007
Failure Free Reading Beginning Reading Alphabetics 1 No Discernible Effects Small 59 1 0 8 93 3 Individual, Small Group, Whole Class July 2007
Fast ForWord® Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 8 Potentially Positive Effects Medium to Large 305 0 6 42 1376 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Individual August 2010
Fast ForWord® Beginning Reading Alphabetics 6 Positive Effects Medium to Large 5 5 0 18 784 K, 1, 2, 3 Whole Class March 2013
Fast ForWord® Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 6 Mixed Effects Medium to Large 4 3 1 20 702 K, 1, 2, 3 Whole Class March 2013
Fast ForWord® Adolescent Literacy Alphabetics 2 No Discernible Effects Small 305 1 1 7 161 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Individual August 2010
Fluency Formula™ Beginning Reading Reading comprehension -11 Potentially Negative Effects Small 1 1 0 5 128 2 Small Group, Whole Class June 2007
Ladders to Literacy Beginning Reading Alphabetics 25 Potentially Positive Effects Medium to Large 6 4 0 14 760 K Whole Class August 2007
Ladders to Literacy Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 9 Mixed Effects Medium to Large 6 3 0 6 489 K Whole Class August 2007
LANGUAGE!® Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension -5 No Discernible Effects Small 1 0 1 18 632 9, 10 Whole Class February 2013
Lexia Reading Beginning Reading Alphabetics 11 Potentially Positive Effects Small 2 1 1 3 147 K, 1 Individual June 2009
Lexia Reading Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 11 Potentially Positive Effects Small 11 0 1 2 71 K, 1 Individual June 2009
Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) Beginning Reading Alphabetics 17 Potentially Positive Effects Small 37 1 0 5 146 1 Individual, Small Group December 2008
Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) Students with Learning Disabilities Alphabetics 9 Potentially Positive Effects Small 31 1 0 3 50 4 Individual, Small Group March 2010
Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) Students with Learning Disabilities Reading comprehension 8 No Discernible Effects Small 31 1 0 3 50 4 Individual, Small Group March 2010
Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 6 No Discernible Effects Small 37 1 0 5 146 1 Individual, Small Group December 2008
Open Court Reading Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 6 Potentially Positive Effects Small 1 1 0 5 917 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Whole Class August 2012
Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies Students with Learning Disabilities Reading comprehension 26 Potentially Positive Effects Small 2 1 1 12 60 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Small Group June 2012
Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 19 Potentially Positive Effects Small 1 0 1 12 120 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 Small Group January 2012
Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies Beginning Reading Alphabetics 14 Potentially Positive Effects Medium to Large 45 2 1 75 3000 K, 1 Small Group May 2012
Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 3 Mixed Effects Small 45 2 1 13 171 K, 1 Small Group May 2012
Project CRISS® Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 20 Potentially Positive Effects Medium to Large 31 2 0 41 2569 4, 5, 6 Whole Class, Whole School June 2010
Read 180® Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 4 Potentially Positive Effects Medium to Large 101 0 6 47 6380 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Whole Class October 2009
Read Naturally® Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 2 No Discernible Effects Small 14 1 0 1 94 1, 2 Individual July 2007
Read, Write & Type!™ Beginning Reading Alphabetics 8 Potentially Positive Effects Small 1 1 0 5 146 1 Individual, Small Group, Whole Class May 2007
Read, Write & Type!™ Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 3 No Discernible Effects Small 1 1 0 5 146 1 Individual, Small Group, Whole Class May 2007
Reading Apprenticeship® Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 2 Potentially Positive Effects Small 27 1 0 17 2255 9 Whole Class July 2010
Reading Edge Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 5 No Discernible Effects Small 1 1 0 2 405 6 Small Group, Whole Class June 2012
Reading Mastery Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension -7 No Discernible Effects Small 175 0 1 6 304 4, 5 Whole Class August 2010
Reading Plus® Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 2 Potentially Positive Effects Small 18 0 1 98 13128 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 Individual September 2010
Reading Recovery® Beginning Reading Alphabetics 34 Positive Effects Medium to Large 106 2 1 16 226 1 Individual, Small Group December 2008
Reading Recovery® Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 14 Potentially Positive Effects Small 106 2 0 2 155 1 Individual, Small Group December 2008
Reciprocal Teaching Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 6 Mixed Effects Medium to Large 164 5 1 23 316 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 Small Group September 2010
Sound Partners Beginning Reading Alphabetics 21 Positive Effects Medium to Large 18 4 3 59 442 K, 1 Individual September 2010
Sound Partners Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 21 Positive Effects Medium to Large 18 2 2 44 309 K, 1 Individual September 2010
SpellRead™ Adolescent Literacy Alphabetics 21 Potentially Positive Effects Small 2 2 0 9 137 5, 6 Small Group January 2013
SpellRead™ Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 20 Potentially Positive Effects Small 2 2 0 9 139 1, 2, 3 Small Group July 2007
SpellRead™ Beginning Reading Alphabetics 18 Positive Effects Small 2 2 0 9 139 1, 2, 3 Small Group July 2007
SpellRead™ Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 11 Potentially Positive Effects Small 2 2 0 9 137 5, 6 Small Group January 2013
Start Making a Reader Today® (SMART®) Beginning Reading Alphabetics 16 Potentially Positive Effects Small 1 1 0 6 84 1, 2 Individual June 2007
Start Making a Reader Today® (SMART®) Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 14 Potentially Positive Effects Small 1 1 0 6 84 1, 2 Individual June 2007
Stepping Stones to Literacy Beginning Reading Alphabetics 30 Positive Effects Small 2 2 0 17 120 K Individual June 2007
Student team reading and writing Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 7 Potentially Positive Effects Medium to Large 2 0 2 0 5209 6, 7, 8 Small Group November 2011
Success for All® Beginning Reading Alphabetics 13 Positive Effects Medium to Large 110 1 6 73 3909 PK, K, 1, 2, 3 Individual, Whole School August 2009
Success for All® Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 8 Mixed Effects Medium to Large 110 1 5 65 2565 PK, K, 1, 2, 3 Individual, Whole School August 2009
SuccessMaker® Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 11 Potentially Positive Effects Medium to Large 36 0 3 12 450 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Individual June 2009
SuccessMaker® Adolescent Literacy Alphabetics 1 No Discernible Effects Small 36 0 1 3 26 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 Individual June 2009
Talent Development Middle Grades Program Adolescent Literacy Reading comprehension 3 Potentially Positive Effects Small 1 0 1 29 7, 8 Whole Class January 2013
Voyager Universal Literacy System® Beginning Reading Alphabetics 11 Potentially Positive Effects Medium to Large 7 0 2 12 611 K Small Group, Whole Class August 2007
Voyager Universal Literacy System® Beginning Reading Reading comprehension -25 Potentially Negative Effects Small 7 0 1 4 213 K Small Group, Whole Class August 2007
Waterford Early Reading Program Beginning Reading Alphabetics 19 Potentially Positive Effects Small 36 0 1 6 76 K Individual July 2007
Waterford Early Reading Program Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 4 No Discernible Effects Small 36 0 1 6 76 K Individual July 2007
Wilson Reading System® Beginning Reading Alphabetics 13 Potentially Positive Effects Small 9 1 0 8 71 3 Small Group July 2007
Wilson Reading System® Beginning Reading Reading comprehension 7 No Discernible Effects Small 9 1 0 8 71 3 Small Group July 2007

na = not applicable, nr = not reported
Institute of Education Sciences
What Works Clearinghouse
U.S. Department of Education
News & Events | Contact Us | Help | RSS | Privacy Policy
Statistical Standards | FedStats.gov

Notice of Language Assistance: English | español | 中文: 繁體版 | Việt-ngữ | 한국어 | Tagalog | Русский