With Reference to Recent Research and Relevant Data, Evaluate the ‘Catch Up Literacy’ Intervention Strategy as a Support for Pupils with General Literacy Difficulties
With reference to recent research and relevant data, evaluate the ‘Catch Up Literacy’ intervention strategy as a support for pupils with general literacy difficulties.
The ESIS Additional Learning Needs Programme
General Literacy Level 6
2010/2011
Jenna Jones
G107271
ABSTRACT
Catch Up Literacy is a structured one-to-one literacy intervention for children who are struggling readers. It has been the intervention of choice for ‘Basic Skills’ learners in primary schools in X LA for the past nine years and has recently been introduced into Year 7. This paper looks at the need for literacy interventions to support struggling learners. It then reports analyses of individual data for 334 learners who received Catch Up support in 2009/10 which shows average reading age gains of more than twice that expected of a typically achieving child; data for 87 learners, including a control group, which reaffirms that its effectiveness is due to more than its individual approach; and longitudinal data for learners tracked to the end of Key Stages 2 and 3 which shows that gains to the end of KS2 are maintained for 75% of learners and maintained to the end of KS3 for approximately half the participants. It also reports pleasing non-measurable soft data outcomes related to the attitudes, confidence and enjoyment of learners and positive reports of the support, training and impact of the programme from deliverers and Head Teachers.
In 2001, as part of the Basic Skills Strategy for Wales, funding was made available to support projects designed to intervene strategically to reduce under-attainment in literacy. Recognising the importance of early intervention and taking into account the research of Thomas and Davis (1997) who found that 18% of children at the beginning of Key Stage 2 (KS2) had difficulties with reading, X Local Authority (LA) decided to target Year 2 and Year 3 pupils. These children did not have defined special needs and thus were not
The ESIS Additional Learning Needs Programme
General Literacy Level 6
2010/2011
Jenna Jones
G107271
ABSTRACT
Catch Up Literacy is a structured one-to-one literacy intervention for children who are struggling readers. It has been the intervention of choice for ‘Basic Skills’ learners in primary schools in X LA for the past nine years and has recently been introduced into Year 7. This paper looks at the need for literacy interventions to support struggling learners. It then reports analyses of individual data for 334 learners who received Catch Up support in 2009/10 which shows average reading age gains of more than twice that expected of a typically achieving child; data for 87 learners, including a control group, which reaffirms that its effectiveness is due to more than its individual approach; and longitudinal data for learners tracked to the end of Key Stages 2 and 3 which shows that gains to the end of KS2 are maintained for 75% of learners and maintained to the end of KS3 for approximately half the participants. It also reports pleasing non-measurable soft data outcomes related to the attitudes, confidence and enjoyment of learners and positive reports of the support, training and impact of the programme from deliverers and Head Teachers.
In 2001, as part of the Basic Skills Strategy for Wales, funding was made available to support projects designed to intervene strategically to reduce under-attainment in literacy. Recognising the importance of early intervention and taking into account the research of Thomas and Davis (1997) who found that 18% of children at the beginning of Key Stage 2 (KS2) had difficulties with reading, X Local Authority (LA) decided to target Year 2 and Year 3 pupils. These children did not have defined special needs and thus were not
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