A Multisite Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effectiveness of Descubriendo la Lectura. (October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Borman, Geoffrey D.; Borman, Trisha H.; Park, So Jung; Houghton, Scott
• Is Part Of: American educational research journal. Volume 57:Number 5(2020)
• Page Start: 1995
• Page End: 2020
• Publication Date: 2020-10
• Subjects: English language learners -- literacy -- randomized controlled trial -- Spanish; Education -- United States -- Periodicals; Education -- Research -- United States -- Periodicals; 370.97305
• DOI: 10.3102/0002831219890612
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0002-8312

Abstract

We present findings from a randomized controlled trial of Descubriendo la Lectura (DLL), an intervention designed to improve the literacy skills of Spanish-speaking first graders, who are struggling with reading. DLL offers one-on-one native language literacy instruction for 12 to 20 weeks to each school's lowest performing first-graders. Examining literacy outcomes for 187 students, hierarchical linear model analyses revealed statistically significant effects of student-level assignment to DLL on all 9 outcomes evaluated. Impacts were as large as 1.24 standard deviations, or a learning advantage relative to controls exceeding a full school year of achievement growth. The mean effect size of d = 0.66 across the nine literacy measures is equal to approximately two thirds of the overall literacy growth that occurs across the first-grade year.