Intervention for Dyslexia - The British Dyslexia Association

instruction in phonics, it cannot be claimed that such phonics teaching is
systematic or comprehensive.
35) International reviews of Reading Recovery have mostly been positive, concluding
that, although costly, Reading Recovery generally resulted in significant gains in
reading. It has also been noted that it was less effective in maintaining those
gains and it would be an unwise strategy to shift all resources for remediation
into Reading Recovery because some students would be likely to require
additional or continuing support.
36) Independent research studies show benefits for many children on Reading
Recovery programmes. However, comparisons of the ratio gains made by
children in Reading Recovery and in systematic phonologically based
interventions appear on balance to favour the latter.
37) Since 2005, the Every Child a Reader initiative (ECaR) has been providing
Reading Recovery within a broader programme to increasing numbers of Year 1
pupils in England. The ECaR annual reports show that about 85% of enrolled
children successfully complete the programme and are raised to at least the
average reading level of their class. Over a third of these pupils, who, when they
started the programme, were among the lowest achievers in their classes,
progress to achieving Level 2b (the national target level) or better in Key Stage 1
National Curriculum assessments in reading. A quasi-experimental study in
London has provided further support for the approach.
38) Analysis of National Curriculum assessment results of children on Reading
Recovery programmes over the period 2003–2007 does not support the view
that Reading Recovery in England and Wales achieves its stated goal for
“children to develop effective reading and writing strategies in order to work
within an average range of classroom performance”. Only 12%–15% of Reading
Recovery children completing their programmes between 2003 and 2007
achieved a Level 2a or above in Key Stage 1 Reading National Curriculum
assessments, the level at which children can tackle unfamiliar words and have
therefore developed a self-sustaining word recognition system.
39) Literature searches failed to uncover any published evaluations of Reading
Recovery being used with dyslexic pupils. To decide the question whether
Reading Recovery actually works for children with dyslexia therefore requires
further research. However, dyslexic children, by definition, have specific
problems in acquiring effective knowledge of letter-sound relationships and of
the rules that govern these, and in order to become independent readers who
can tackle unfamiliar words, they are likely to need more rather than less
intensive instruction in phonics. In consequence, it is unlikely that Reading
Recovery – in which the teaching of phonics is less than systematic and which
enables only a rather small proportion of children taught by this method to tackle
unfamiliar words – would be an effective intervention for dyslexia.
Dyslexia in older pupils and use of computer technology (Chapter 6)
40) Older students with dyslexia continue to face difficulties in learning even if they
have received appropriate intervention and have been able to improve their
literacy skills significantly as a result.
Intervention for Dyslexia 11