WWC review of this study

The Enhanced Reading Opportunities Study Final Report: The Impact of Supplemental Literacy Courses for Struggling Ninth-Grade Readers. NCEE 2010-4021 [Reading Apprentice Academic Literacy (RAAL) plus Extreme Reading vs. business as usual]

Somers, Marie-Andree; Corrin, William; Sepanik, Susan; Salinger, Terry; Levin, Jesse; Zmach, Courtney (2010). National Center for Education Evaluation and Regional Assistance. Retrieved from: https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED511811

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
     examining 
    4,584
     Students
    , grade
    9

Reviewed: September 2021

At least one finding shows strong evidence of effectiveness
At least one statistically significant positive finding
Meets WWC standards without reservations
Measures of general reading proficiency and English Language Arts outcomes—Statistically significant positive effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Standardized State Test Score

Reading Apprentice Academic Literacy (RAAL) plus Extreme Reading vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
2,244 students

0.11

0.01

Yes

 
 
5
 
Show Supplemental Findings

Standardized State Test Score

Reading Apprentice Academic Literacy (RAAL) plus Extreme Reading vs. Business as usual

1 Year

Full sample;
2,408 students

0.00

-0.01

No

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

Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE): Comprehension subtest

Reading Apprentice Academic Literacy (RAAL) plus Extreme Reading vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
4,584 students

90.30

89.44

Yes

 
 
3
 
Reading vocabulary outcomes—Indeterminate effect found for the domain
Outcome
measure
Comparison Period Sample Intervention
mean
Comparison
mean
Significant? Improvement
    index
Evidence
tier

Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE): Vocabulary subtest

Reading Apprentice Academic Literacy (RAAL) plus Extreme Reading vs. Business as usual

0 Days

Full sample;
4,584 students

93.69

93.55

No

--


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.


  • Female: 50%
    Male: 51%
  • Race
    Black
    47%
    Other or unknown
    37%
    White
    16%
  • Ethnicity
    Hispanic    
    31%
    Not Hispanic or Latino    
    69%

Setting

The study occurred in 34 high schools across 10 school districts in the United States. The intervention was implemented in full-year supplementary classes of 12-15 grade 9 students. Each class was taught by a teacher trained to implement the intervention.

Study sample

About 31 percent of the sample was Hispanic, 47 percent were Black and non-Hispanic, 16 percent were White and non-Hispanic, and the remaining 37 percent were of other races and ethnicities. The study sample included approximately equal numbers of male and female students. Approximately 67 percent were eligible for free/reduced-price lunch. Nearly half reported a language other than English spoken at home. About 30 percent were considered overage for their grade.

Intervention Group

The study examined the effectiveness of a reading intervention for students struggling with reading. Intervention students participated in the supplementary literacy classes that took place either as a 45-minute daily class or a 75-90 minute class on alternating days. Classes were designed to meet at a minimum of 225 minutes per week. In the first cohort, implementation was delayed and the classes went on for 7.7 months on average. In the second cohort, students participated in the Enhanced Reading Opportunities classes for an average of 9.1 months. The lessons followed one of two reading programs or curricula, depending on which the school was randomly assigned: Reading Apprenticeship Academic Literacy or Xtreme reading. The authors describe both programs as designed to help adolescent readers develop strategies and routines used by proficient readers and to apply these strategies to a variety of texts. Intervention students also took the same core courses as comparison students.

Comparison Group

Comparison students took the same core courses as intervention students. Instead of intervention classes, comparison students were enrolled in elective courses. Most took elective courses that were not focused on literacy.

Support for implementation

The program provided training to the teachers who were implementing the reading programs and to district program coordinators so they could also provide support for implementation. Teachers attended teacher training institutes and program-specific training sessions. The program developers also conducted instructional coaching visits to the teachers' classrooms.

 

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