Intervention: Breakthrough to Literacy - Effectiveness and Program Description

Intervention: Breakthrough to Literacy
August 2008

Effectiveness

No studies of Breakthrough to Literacy that fall within the scope of the Early Childhood Education review meet WWC evidence standards. The lack of studies meeting WWC evidence standards means that, at this time, the WWC is unable to draw any conclusions based on research about the effectiveness or ineffectiveness of Breakthrough to Literacy.

Program Description ¹

Breakthrough to Literacy is a literacy curriculum for preschool through third grade that introduces students to a book-a-week throughout the year. Students gain exposure to the book-of-the week through multiple formats. They receive a Big Book, a Take-Me-Home Book, an audio book, and a computerized version. The book-of-the-week serves as the basis of classroom and independent learning activities for that week. Classroom activities that focus on the book include: (1) teacher-led whole group instruction, (2) teacher-led small group instruction, and (3) independent learning activities including individualized computer instruction that allows students to progress at their own pace. Activities for preschoolers are designed to teach oral language, phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, and concepts of print. Breakthrough to Literacy also includes professional development activities for teachers that are designed to help incorporate the Breakthrough to Literacy curriculum into their day-to-day activities and improve their classroom management skills.

The WWC identified thirty-two studies of Breakthough to Literacy that were published or released between 1985 and 2008.
Nine studies are within the scope of the review and have an eligible design, but do not meet WWC evidence standards. Two studies used random assignment of centers or classrooms to groups, but many children included in the study entered the centers or classrooms after group assignments were known. The study did not establish that the comparison group was comparable to the treatment group prior to the intervention, and the overall attrition rate exceeds the WWC standards for the topic area. Another six studies used quasi-experimental designs, but did not establish that the comparison group was comparable to the treatment group prior to the start of the intervention. One study had a confounding factor, assigning only one unit per group, which made it impossible to attribute the observed effect solely to Breakthrough to Literacy. Eight studies were out of the scope of the review because they had an ineligible study design that does not meet WWC evidence standards, such as a study that does not have a comparison group. Fifteen studies were out of the scope of the review, as defined by the Early Childhood Education protocol, for reasons other than study design. Eight studies either did not include or report disaggregated results for students between 3 and 5 years old. Seven studies were either not effectiveness studies or did not include outcomes in the specified domains.

The WWC identified thirty-two studies of Breakthough to Literacy that were published or released between 1985 and 2008.

Nine studies are within the scope of the review and have an eligible design, but do not meet WWC evidence standards.

Two studies used random assignment of centers or classrooms to groups, but many children included in the study entered the centers or classrooms after group assignments were known. The study did not establish that the comparison group was comparable to the treatment group prior to the intervention, and the overall attrition rate exceeds the WWC standards for the topic area.
Another six studies used quasi-experimental designs, but did not establish that the comparison group was comparable to the treatment group prior to the start of the intervention.

One study had a confounding factor, assigning only one unit per group, which made it impossible to attribute the observed effect solely to Breakthrough to Literacy.

Eight studies were out of the scope of the review because they had an ineligible study design that does not meet WWC evidence standards, such as a study that does not have a comparison group.

Fifteen studies were out of the scope of the review, as defined by the Early Childhood Education protocol, for reasons other than study design.

Eight studies either did not include or report disaggregated results for students between 3 and 5 years old.
Seven studies were either not effectiveness studies or did not include outcomes in the specified domains.

¹ The descriptive information for this program was obtained from a publicly-available source: the program’s website (www.breakthroughtoliteracy.com, downloaded July 2008). The WWC requests developers to review the program description sections for accuracy from their perspective. Further verification of the accuracy of the descriptive information for this program is beyond the scope of this review.

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Effectiveness

Program Description1

What Works Clearinghouse Headlines

Program Description ¹