Abstract

“This study examined silent reading rates (SRRs) in relation to students’ estimated academic vocabulary grade levels (EVGLs) and comprehension accuracy (Comprehension Items Correct; compIC). Analyses were based on data from 288,934 students in grades 2-12 who completed an adaptive silent reading assessment that yielded measures of the three variables of interest. Silent reading rate was measured while students read five 150- to 300-word passages. Each student’s initial passage difficulty was aligned with their EVGL. Each passage was followed by five comprehension questions, such that in total, students could answer up to 25 comprehension items correctly. Two-level Multilevel Models (MLMs) were fitted to evaluate SRR in relation to EVGL, compIC, and their interactions. The final MLM included the random intercept and three random slopes for the two level-1 predictors (school-mean-centered EVGL as the focal predictor and school-mean-centered compIC as the moderator) and their interactions. Results indicated that: (a) the fixed effect of higher EVGL on SRR was positive and significant, (b) the fixed effect of higher compIC on SRR was negative and significant, and (c) there was a significant interaction indicating that the relationship between school-mean-centered EVGL and SRR grew stronger as school-mean-centered compIC increased. These results suggest that vocabulary knowledge and SRR increase in concert among students with good comprehension, whereas SRRs measured in the absence of good comprehension are less meaningful and may indicate inadequate skills or insufficient motivation to fully comprehend what is being read.”

The post The Interaction of Silent Reading Rate, Academic Vocabulary, and Comprehension Among Students in Grades 2–12 appeared first on Reading Plus.

This report describes the reading progress achieved by Reading Plus students who were enrolled in grades 2 through 12. Its focus is on students who completed the Reading Plus InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions and completed between about 20 or 40 Reading Plus lessons (~8 or16 hours) during four- to twelve-week implementation periods after schools were closed due to COVID-19 (from March 15 to the end of June, 2020). 

Study Design:

This report describes the reading progress achieved by Reading Plus students who were enrolled in grades 2 through 12. Its focus is on students who completed the Reading Plus InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions and completed between about 20 or 40 Reading Plus lessons (~8 or16 hours) during four- to twelve-week implementation periods after schools were closed due to COVID-19 (from March 15 to the end of June, 2020).

Key Results:

Referring to the March-June, 2020 matched comparison samples were created for three additional 4-to-12-week time periods. These matched samples comprised of students who completed the same amount of Reading Plus instruction over a similar 4-to-12-week period (between August 2019 and February 2020; between March and June 2019; or between August 2018 and February 2019). Students in each of these matched groups achieved nearly identical reading proficiency gains.

The post Special Research Report: COVID-19 Pilots Results 2020 appeared first on Reading Plus.

Across all tier groups, students who completed the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction during the school year achieved significantly larger proficiency gains than students who did not engage in Reading Plus instruction.

These results show that students in all tier groups who engaged in the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction over the course of the 2019-2020 school year significantly increased their capacity to comprehend increasingly complex texts, developed their capacity to understand higher levels of general academic vocabulary, and improved their reading efficiency. Students who completed more Reading Plus lessons achieved significantly larger gains than their peers who engaged in little or no Reading Plus practice. The results also showed that students who engaged in more Reading Plus instruction developed more reading confidence and increased their interest in reading. This in turn increases the likelihood that they will continue to use reading as a means to expand their knowledge, to be entertained, and to seek inspiration.

Study Design:

This report describes the progress achieved by Reading Plus students who were enrolled in grades 9 through 12 during the 2019-2020 school year. The focus is on students who completed the InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions, once near the start of the school year and again during the spring, so that growth over the school year was measured. Students were divided into three tier groups based on their performance on the initial assessment (see sidebar).

Students Excluded

Students for whom valid reading rates could not be calculated.

Analyses assumed 2.5 SeeReader lessons per hour.

Key Results:

Across all tier groups, high school students who engaged in the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction during the school year increased their reading proficiency levels to a significantly greater extent than did students who completed fewer or no lessons. Research has shown that students who increase their reading proficiency using Reading Plus also report increased levels of reading interest and confidence, a finding that was replicated in this study.

The post High School National Results 2019-2020 School Year appeared first on Reading Plus.

Summary of Findings:

Despite nationwide school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic, students in all tier groups who engaged in the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction over the course of the 2019-2020 school year achieved expected growth on par with prior year results. Reading Plus students significantly increased their capacity to comprehend increasingly complex texts. Students who completed more Reading Plus lessons achieved significantly larger gains than their peers who engaged in little or no Reading Plus lessons.

Study Design:

This report describes the reading progress achieved by Reading Plus students who were enrolled in grades 2 through 12 during the 2019-2020 school year. The focus of the report is on students who completed the Reading Plus InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions, once near the start of the school year and again during the spring, so that growth over the school year could be measured.

Students Excluded

Students for whom valid reading rates could not be calculated.

Key Results:

More intensive use of Reading Plus is recommended for students who are reading below grade level and need to catch up with their peers.

The post National Results for the 2019-2020 School Year appeared first on Reading Plus.

Across all tier groups, students who completed the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction during the school year achieved significantly larger proficiency gains than students who did not engage in Reading Plus instruction.

These results show that students in all tier groups who engaged in the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction over the course of the 2019-2020 school year significantly increased their capacity to comprehend increasingly complex texts, developed their capacity to understand higher levels of general academic vocabulary, and improved their reading efficiency. Students who completed more Reading Plus lessons achieved significantly larger gains than their peers who engaged in little or no Reading Plus practice. The results also show that students who were below grade level and engaged in more Reading Plus instruction increased their reading confidence and interest in reading. This in turn increases the likelihood that they will continue to use reading as a means to expand their knowledge, to be entertained, and to seek inspiration.

Study Design:

This report describes the progress achieved by Reading Plus students who were enrolled in grades 6 through 8 during the 2019-2020 school year. The focus is on students who completed the InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions, once near the start of the school year and again during the spring, so that growth over the school year was measured. Students were divided into three tier groups based on their performance on the initial assessment (refer to “Tier Groups”).

Students Excluded

Students for whom valid reading rates could not be calculated.

Analyses assumed 2.5 SeeReader lessons per hour.

Key Results:

Across all tier groups, middle school students who engaged in the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction during the school year increased their reading proficiency levels to a significantly greater extent than did students who completed fewer or no lessons. Research has shown that students who increase their reading proficiency using Reading Plus also report increased levels of reading interest and confidence, a finding that was replicated in this study.

The post Middle School National Results 2019-2020 School Year appeared first on Reading Plus.

Across all tier groups, students who completed the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction during the school year achieved significantly larger proficiency gains than students who did not engage in Reading Plus instruction.

These results show that students in all tier groups who engaged in the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction over the course of the 2019-2020 school year significantly increased their capacity to comprehend increasingly complex texts, developed their capacity to understand higher levels of general academic vocabulary, and improved their reading efficiency. Students who completed more Reading Plus lessons achieved significantly larger gains than their peers who engaged in little or no Reading Plus practice. The results also showed that students who engaged in more Reading Plus instruction developed more reading confidence and increased their interest in reading. This in turn increases the likelihood that they will continue to use reading as a means to expand their knowledge, to be entertained, and to seek inspiration.

Study Design:

This report describes the progress achieved by Reading Plus students who were enrolled in grades 2 through 5 during the 2019-2020 school year. The focus is on students who completed the InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions, once near the start of the school year and again during the spring, so that growth over the school year was measured. Students were divided into three tier groups based on their performance on the initial assessment.

Students Excluded

Students for whom valid reading rates could not be calculated.

Analyses assume 2.5 SeeReader lessons per hour

Key Results:

Across all tier groups, Reading Plus practice had a significantly positive effect on students’ self-reported reading interest. Differences in reading self-confidence (self-efficacy) were not significant, most likely because most elementary school students were near the top of the confidence scale to being with. Previous research has shown that reading motivation and reading success are closely linked.

The post Elementary School National Results 2019-2020 School Year appeared first on Reading Plus.

This report describes the progress achieved by Reading Plus students in grades 2 through 12 who received free or reduced-price meals at school through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP) during the 2018-2019 school year. These are students from households with incomes at or below 18.5 percent of the poverty line. Data are reported for all students in this category who completed the InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions, once near the start of the school year and again during the spring, so that growth over the school year was measured.

Study Design:

These results show that students receiving free or reduced-price meals at school who engaged in Reading Plus instruction over the course of the 2018-2019 school year significantly increased their capacity to comprehend more complex texts, developed their capacity to understand higher levels of general academic vocabulary, and improved their reading efficiency. Students who completed more Reading Plus practice achieved larger gains than their peers who engaged in little or no Reading Plus instruction. These results replicate previous studies documenting the effectiveness of using Reading Plus with lower-income students. These results also show that students who engaged in more Reading Plus instruction generally increased their reading confidence and their interest in reading.

The post Students Receiving Subsidized School Lunch Achieved Significant Reading Proficiency Growth appeared first on Reading Plus.

Reading Plus Students Achieved Significantly Larger Gains Across all tier groups, students who completed the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction during the school year achieved significantly larger proficiency gains than students who did not engage in Reading Plus instruction.

These results show that students in all tier groups who engaged in the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction over the course of the 2018-2019 school year significantly increased their capacity to comprehend increasingly complex texts, developed their capacity to understand higher levels of general academic vocabulary, and improved their reading efficiency. Students who completed more Reading Plus lessons achieved significantly larger gains than their peers who engaged in little or no Reading Plus practice. The results also showed that students who engaged in more Reading Plus instruction developed more reading confidence and increased their interest in reading. This in turn increases the likelihood that they will continue to use reading as a means to expand their knowledge, to be entertained, and to seek inspiration.

Study Design:

This report describes the progress achieved by Reading Plus students who were enrolled in grades 2 through 5 during the 2018-2019 school year. The focus is on students who completed the Reading Plus InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions, once near the start of the school year and again during the spring, so that growth over the school year was measured. Students were divided into three tier groups based on their performance on the initial assessment.

Students Excluded

Students for whom valid reading rates could not be calculated.

Key Results:

Across all tier groups, Reading Plus practice had a significantly positive effect on students’ self-reported reading interest. Differences in reading self-confidence (self-efficacy) were not significant, most likely because most elementary school students were near the top of the confidence scale to begin with. Changes in reading motivation are shown in Figure 5. Previous research has shown that reading motivation and reading success are closely linked.

The post Elementary School National Results 2018-2019 School Year appeared first on Reading Plus.

This report describes the progress achieved by English language learners who used Reading Plus while enrolled in grades 2 through 12 during the 2018-2019 school year. Data are reported for all English language learners who completed the Reading Plus InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions, once near the start of the school year and again during the spring, so that growth over the school year was measured.

Key Results:

These results show that English language learners who engaged in Reading Plus instruction over the course of the 2018-2019 school year significantly increased their capacity to comprehend increasingly complex texts, developed their capacity to understand higher levels of general academic vocabulary, and improved their reading efficiency. Students who completed more Reading Plus practice achieved significantly larger gains than their peers who engaged in little or no Reading Plus instruction. These results replicate previous studies documenting the effectiveness of using Reading Plus with English language learners. These results also show that students who engaged in Reading Plus instruction generally developed more reading confidence and increased their interest in reading. This in turn increases the likelihood that they will continue to use reading as a means to expand their knowledge, to be entertained, and to seek inspiration.

The post ELL National Results 2018-2019 School Year appeared first on Reading Plus.

This report describes the reading progress achieved by Reading Plus students who were enrolled in grades 2 through 12 during the 2018-2019 school year.

Key Results:

The results of this study show that students in all grade levels who engaged in Reading Plus instruction over the course of the 2018-2019 school year significantly increased their capacity to comprehend increasingly complex texts, developed their capacity to understand higher levels of general academic vocabulary, and improved their reading efficiency. Students who completed more Reading Plus lessons achieved significantly larger gains than their peers who engaged in little or no Reading Plus practice. The results also show that the students who engaged in more Reading Plus instruction developed more reading confidence and increased their interest in reading. This in turn increases the likelihood that they will continue to use reading as a means to expand their knowledge, to be entertained, and to seek inspiration.

The post National Proficiency Gains 2018-2019 School Year appeared first on Reading Plus.

This report describes the progress achieved by Reading Plus students who were enrolled in grades 9 through 12 during the 2018-2019 school year. The focus is on students who completed the Reading Plus InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions, once near the start of the school year and again during the spring, so that growth over the school year was measured. Students were divided into three tier groups based on their performance on the initial assessment (see full report for more details).

Key Results:

These results show that students in all tier groups who engaged in the recommended amount of Reading Plus instruction over the course of the 2018- 2019 school year significantly increased their capacity to comprehend increasingly complex texts, developed their capacity to understand higher levels of general academic vocabulary, and improved their reading efficiency. Students who completed more Reading Plus lessons achieved significantly larger gains than their peers who engaged in little or no Reading Plus practice. The results also showed that students who engaged in more Reading Plus instruction developed more reading confidence and increased their interest in reading. This in turn increases the likelihood that they will continue to use reading as a means to expand their knowledge, to be entertained, and to seek inspiration.

The post High School National Results 2018-2019 School Year appeared first on Reading Plus.

This report describes the reading progress achieved by Reading Plus students who were enrolled in grades 2 through 12 during the 2018-2019 school year. The focus of the report is on students who completed the Reading Plus InSight silent reading assessment on at least two occasions, once near the start of the school year and again during the spring, so that growth over the school year could be measured.

Key Results:

The results of this study show that students in all grade levels who engaged in Reading Plus instruction over the course of the 2018-2019 school year significantly increased their capacity to comprehend increasingly complex texts, developed their capacity to understand higher levels of general academic vocabulary, and improved their reading efficiency. Students who completed more Reading Plus lessons achieved significantly larger gains than their peers who engaged in little or no Reading Plus practice. The results also show that the students who engaged in more Reading Plus instruction developed more reading confidence and increased their interest in reading. This in turn increases the likelihood that they will continue to use reading as a means to expand their knowledge, to be entertained, and to seek inspiration.

The post All Tier National Results: 2018-2019 School Year appeared first on Reading Plus.