Post on 02-Jan-2016
Does the computer software Lexia raise reading attainment for EAL learners (English as an Additional Language)?
Lexia’s own research
Lexia Research ‘Lexia – Best Practices Report’
Findings : ‘lowest performing children and EAL students were the students who benefited the most from using Lexia’.
UK study in York
Could Lexia be applied to EAL learners in a multicultural inner –city London school setting to raise reading attainment?
Why choose Lexia? ‘Second language learners need
resources with a high level of visual support which will help them to cue what the text is all about. Equally important is a strong element of repetition and rhyme to predict what comes next and to internalize the rhythms, sounds and structures of English.’ (V.Edwards (1990) p. 18, Reading and Language Information Centre)
Research design
Time frame and frequency : ‘Lexia Best Practises Report’
three EAL children in Year three with different level of reading skills
one to one sessions with LSA
Questionnaire with LSA after trial
Research design
A control group without intervention to provide a comparison
‘Quick Reading Test’ for Lexia
Nelson Reading testThree sessions for five
consecutive weeks
Analysis – no Lexia intervention Reading age increase in months-no Lexia
01234567
Female Male Female
D E F
Respondents
Read
ing
ag
e in
mo
nth
s
Gain in months
With Lexia interventionWith Lexia intervention-reading age increase in
months
0123456789
10
Male Female Female
A B C
respondents
mo
nth
s A Male
B Female
C Female
In comparison ...With Lexia intervention-reading age increase
5.56
6.57
7.58
8.59
9.5
Male Female Female
A B C
respondents
readin
g age
Pre- trial reading age
Post-trial reading age
No Lexia intervention- control group-pre- and post trial reading age
55.5
66.5
77.5
88.5
99.5
Female Male Female
D E F
respondent
read
ing
age Pre-Trial Reading Age
Post-Trial Reading Age
Finally.... End results of the trial - comparison of Lexia
group and control group
05
10152025
no Lexiaintervention
with Lexiaintervention
Totalincrease ofthe Lexia
interventionin
groups
read
ing
ag
e in
crea
se i
n
mo
nth
s
no Lexia intervention
with Lexia intervention
Total increase of theLexia intervention incomparison
Looking at the results Success according to
BrooksWith Lexia : Reading
attainment was raised considerably
Outcomes : Control group
Location Time frame
Summary of key findings
Reading attainment was raised by 25 % in comparison to control group
Attitude to the software
Variations to planned schedule- still raises attainment
More outcomes ....
Lexia Assessment programme
Teacher assessment
Other possible factors influencing outcomes
Guided readingLiteracy lessonsmany aspects can
influence the findings
Further findings ....
Limitations •Number of students •Time limit
Great strengths:
•Measuring progress with Lexia student reports•Attitude to software
Conclusion Precise and careful
monitoring
embedded with other teaching strategies
If the intervention is managed well, Lexia is a successful intervention for EAL learners to raise their reading attainment
*