Current Evidence on the Effects of Intensive Early Reading Interventions
Journal of Learning Disabilities
Wanzek, J., Stevens, E. A., et al. (2018).
Journal of Learning Disabilities, 51(6), 612-624.
This meta-analysis investigates the effects of early intensive reading interventions in students with reading difficulties from Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Institute of Education Sciences, U.S. Department of Education; Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health
1995-2015
Peer-reviewed studies published in English (not further specified)
25
Findings showed that interventions provided in one-on-one settings had a larger effect size (ES = 0.59) than interventions provided in group settings (ES = 0.33). This suggests that students may respond more favorably to one-on-one sessions.
“Overall, the results of this meta-analysis indicate that intensive interventions result in positive gains in reading performance for struggling readers in Grades K through 3” (p. 620). The weighted mean effect size of intensive early reading interventions was 0.39, with a mean effect size adjusted for publication bias of 0.28.
