Efficacy of Supplemental Phonics-Based Instruction for Low-Skilled First Graders: How Language Minority Status and Pretest Characteristics Moderate Treatment Response

We examined the efficacy of 20 weeks of individual supplemental phonics-based instruction for language minority (LM) and non-LM first graders. Students were designated LM if the primary home language was not English (otherwise non-LM). Those performing in the bottom half of their classroom LM/non-LM group in letter knowledge and phonological awareness were randomly assigned to treatment and control conditions. Treatment included alphabetics, decoding, and oral reading practice. Results showed that treatment students (n = 93) outperformed controls (n = 94) on 5 of the 6 posttests; however, LM students exhibited lower treatment response on passage reading fluency. Pretest word reading did not moderate treatment response, and LM students with greater baseline vocabulary showed greater treatment response on posttest word reading and spelling
Authors citation
Vadasy, P. F., & Sanders, E. A.
Publication
Scientific Studies of Reading, 15(6), 471–497
Year of Study
2011
Subject
Literacy
Program Name
Sound Partners
Program Evaluated
Sound Partners
Tutor Type
Teaching assistant
Duration
1 year
Sample size
187
Grade Level(s)
1st Grade
Student-Tutor Ratio
1
Effect Size
0.2
Study Design
Student Randomized
Vadasy, P. F., & Sanders, E. A. (2011). Efficacy of Supplemental Phonics-Based Instruction for Low-Skilled First Graders: How Language Minority Status and Pretest Characteristics Moderate Treatment Response. Scientific Studies of Reading, 15(6), 471–497. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888438.2010.501091