Robert E. Slavin
Johns Hopkins University

Alan Cheung
Hong Kong Institute of Education

Cynthia Groff
University of Pennsylvania

Cynthia Lake
Johns Hopkins University

Version 1.1

Last updated February 25, 2008
The Best Evidence Encyclopedia

EDUCATOR’S SUMMARY

What reading programs have been proven to help middle and high school students to succeed? To find out, this review summarizes evidence on three types of programs designed to improve the reading achievement of students in grades 6-12:

For general findings click here For program ratings click here For a description of review methods click here

General Findings

Overall, 26 studies met the inclusion criterion, of which 2 used random assignment to treatments. No studies of reading curricula qualified, but there were 10 qualifying studies of CAI and 11 of instructional process programs.

Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI). Studies of CAI find positive achievement outcomes. Median effect size across 12 studies: +0.23.

Instructional Process Strategies (IP). The largest number of high-quality studies evaluated instructional process programs, especially forms of cooperative learning (median ES=+0.33). Median effect size across 14 studies: +0.18.

Listed below are ratings of currently available programs. Within categories, programs are listed in alphabetical order.

Program Ratings Strength of Evidence for Reading Programs Strong Evidence of Effectiveness None Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness Jostens (CAI) PALS (IP, Cooperative Learning) The Reading Edge (IP, Cooperative Learning) Student Team Literature (IP, Cooperative Learning) Student Team Reading (IP, Cooperative Learning) Limited Evidence of Effectiveness Accelerated Reader (CAI) Benchmark Detectives (IP, Strategy) Read 180 (CAI) Strategy Intervention Model (IP, Strategy) Talent Development High School (IP, CSR) Insufficient Evidence Talent Development Middle School (IP, CSR) N   No Qualifying Studies 100 Book Challenge ABD's of Reading Academy of Reading Achieve 3000 Achieving Maximum Potential Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) AfterSchool KidzLit Alphabetic Phonics America’s Choice-Ramp Up Literacy AMP Reading System Barton Reading & Spelling System Be a Better Reader Boys Town Reading Curriculum Breaking the Code Bridges to Literacy Caught Reading Charlesbridge Reading Fluency Classworks Compass Learning (current version) Comprehension Upgrade Concept-Oriented Reading Instruction (CORI) Corrective Reading CRISS / Project CRISS Cross-Aged Literacy Program Direct Instruction Disciplinary Literacy Electronic Bookshelf Essential Learning Systems™ Exemplary Center for Reading Instruction (ECRI) Failure Free Reading Fast ForWord Fast Track Reading First Steps Fluent Reader Glass-Analysis method Glencoe Great Leaps Harcourt HOSTS Houghton Mifflin IMPACT IndiVisual Reading InStep Readers Intensive Reading Strategies Instruction (IRSI) Model Intensive Supplemental Reading Jamestown Education Junior Great Books Kaplan SpellRead Knowledge Box K-W-L strategy LANGUAGE! Learning Experience Approach Learning Upgrade Lexia Strategies for Older Students Like to Read Lindamood-Bell LitART Literacy First Literacy Seminar MacMillan McDougal-Littell McRAT Merit Software Multicultural Reading and Thinking My Reading Coach On Ramp Approach Open Book Anywhere Open Court Pathway Project Phonics for Reading Phono-Graphix PLATO Prentice Hall Literature Project Read Puente Questioning the Author QuickReads–Secondary Quicktionary Reading Pen II Ramp-Up Literacy Rave-O REACH ReadAbout Read Naturally Read Now Read On! READ RIGHT Read XL The Reader’s Choice The Reader’s Journey Reading in the Content Areas Reading Horizons Reading Is FAME Reading Power in the Content Areas Reading Plus Reading with Purpose Reciprocal Teaching REWARDS Rosetta Stone Literacy Saxon Phonics Scaffolded Reading Experience Scott Foresman Second Chance at Literacy Learning Second Chance Reading Slingerland Soar to Success Soliloquy Reading Assistant Sound Sheets Spell Read P.A.T. Spalding Method Strategic Literacy Initiative SuccessMaker Supported Literacy Approach Text mapping strategy Thinking Reader Thinking Works Transactional Strategies Instruction Vocabulary Improvement Program Voyager TimeWarp Plus Wilson Reading System Wisconsin Design for Reading Skills Development (WDRSD) Write to Learn

Review Methods

An exhaustive search considered more than 200 published and unpublished articles. It included those that met the following criteria:

Programs were rated according to the overall strength of the evidence supporting their effects on reading achievement. “Effect size” (ES) is the proportion of a standard deviation by which a treatment group exceeds a control group. Large studies are those involving a total of at least 10 classes or 250 students. The categories are as follows:

Program Ratings Strong Evidence of Effectiveness: At least one large randomized or randomized quasi-experimental study, or multiple smaller studies, with a median effect size of at least +0.20. If randomized studies have a median effect size of at least +0.20, the total set of studies need not have a median effect size this large. Moderate Evidence of Effectiveness: One large matched study or multiple smaller studies with a collective sample size of 250 students, with a median effect size of at least +0.20. Limited Evidence of Effectiveness: At least one qualifying study with statistically significant differences and effect size of +0.10 or more. Insufficient Evidence of Effectiveness: Studies show no significant differences N   No Qualifying Studies: No studies met inclusion standards