Evidence Check 1: Early Literacy Interventions

HC 44, Second Report of Session 2009-10 - Report, Together with Formal Minutes, Oral and Written Evidence

Author:

House of Commons - Science and Technology Committee

Publisher:

TSO (The Stationery Office)

'Evidence Check 1: Early Literacy Interventions (HC 44)' from the Science and Technology Committee looks at literacy programme's evidence check and concludes that expectations by the Department for Children, Schools and Families of the quality of the evidence base for reading programmes are worryingly low. It urges the Government to commission randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

The Committee also states it is particularly concerned about the quality of evidence demonstrating cost-effectiveness of different programmes and further recommends that the Government reviews its guidelines on RCT design; it says even Wikipedia is more thorough and informative.

The Committee also concludes, that the Government's focus on early literacy interventions and phonics-based teaching is based on the best available evidence; the use of Reading Recovery is based on a lower quality of evidence than the Committee is comfortable with and that the decision to introduce Reading Recovery nationally is not evidence based. The Committee further expressed alarm that there was a complete lack of randomised controlled trials using standardised test scores for the Reading Recovery programme in the UK school system, before national implementation of the programme.

Extent	139 pages	ISBN	9780215542663
Size	A4	Price	£17.50
Binding	Paperback	Published	18 Dec 2009
Availability	Colour copy: 3 - 5 days	Delivery	Delivery options and charges

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