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

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