|
|
Overview
Read Naturally1 is designed to improve reading fluency using a combination of books, audio-tapes, and computer software. This program includes three main strategies: repeated reading of English text for oral reading fluency development, teacher modeling of story reading, and systematic monitoring of student progress by teachers. Students work at a reading level appropriate for their achievement level, progress through the program at their own rate, and work, for the most part, on an independent basis. The Read Naturally strategy is designed to increase time spent reading by combining teacher modeling, repeated reading, and progress monitoring. Although the program was not originally developed for English language learners (ELL), materials for these students are now available.
Research
One study of a modified version of Read Naturally met the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) evidence standards with reservations. This study included 60 ELL elementary school students from five schools in central Texas and examined effects on students’ reading achievement.2
Effectiveness
Read Naturally was found to have no discernible effects on elementary school ELL students’ reading achievement.
| Reading achievement | Mathematics achievement | English language development | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating of effectiveness | No discernible effects | na | na |
| Improvement index3 | Average: 0 percentile points Range: -5 to +6 percentile points |
na | na |
| na = not applicable | |||
2 The evidence presented in this report is based on available research. Findings and conclusions may change as new research becomes available.
3 These numbers show the average and range of improvement indices for all findings across the study.