Using the DreamBox Reading Plus adaptive literacy intervention to improve reading attainment, a two-armed cluster randomised trial evaluation protocol

Gellen, Sandor ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9137-8209, Wicker, Kate, Ainsworth, Steph, Morris, Stephen ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6869-8933 and Lewin, Cathy ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3430-4075 (2024) Using the DreamBox Reading Plus adaptive literacy intervention to improve reading attainment, a two-armed cluster randomised trial evaluation protocol. Project Report. Education Endowment Foundation, London, UK.

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Abstract

DreamBox Reading Plus (known as Reading Plus hereafter) is an online (EdTech) adaptive silent reading programme designed to improve reading and language comprehension skills (Spichtig, A. N. et al., 2019). The programme supports fluency, comprehension (e.g. inference) and vocabulary growth, It is designed to support all readers including pupils with EAL, SEND, as well as the most able students. The programme incorporates a visual skills element which scaffolds pupils’ reading via a Guided Window text display to support eye movement control (Radach and Kennedy, 2013). The programme also includes additional visual skills activities to support struggling readers. Another unique feature of the programme is that children selfselect reading tasks based on age-appropriate texts. These tasks are designed to be ‘high interest’ for all children, including lower attaining readers. Overall, the programme promises to have an important socio-emotional impact by building stamina and motivation to read. In addition to promoting reading proficiency directly (by improving pupils’ fluency, vocabulary and reading comprehension), the programme also promises to have an indirect effect on reading attainment, through improvements in teachers’ knowledge of the role of silent reading fluency in developing reading stamina and comprehension.