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Tutoring with Alphie: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary

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Title: Tutoring with Alphie: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary
Language: English
Authors: Biggart, Andy, O'Hare, Liam, Miller, Sarah, Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) (United Kingdom), Queen's University Belfast (United Kingdom), Centre for Effective Education
Source: Education Endowment Foundation. 2015.
Availability: Education Endowment Foundation. 9th Floor Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP, UK. Tel: +44-207-802-1676; e-mail: info@eefoundation.org.uk; Web site: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 32
Publication Date: 2015
Sponsoring Agency: Institute for Effective Education (IEE) (United Kingdom)
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Reading Difficulties, Reading Instruction, Reading Skills, Program Evaluation, Program Effectiveness, Cooperative Learning, Reading Comprehension, Reading Fluency, Elementary School Students, Randomized Controlled Trials, Comparative Analysis, Foreign Countries, Computer Assisted Instruction, Educational Technology, Small Group Instruction, Online Surveys, Qualitative Research, Statistical Analysis, Interviews, Intervention, Multiple Regression Analysis, Programmed Tutoring, Pretests Posttests
Geographic Terms: United Kingdom (England)
Abstract: Tutoring with Alphie is a computer-assisted programme that aims to improve the literacy skills of struggling readers. The programme combines elements of collaborative (or 'cooperative') learning, computer-assisted instruction and small group support. Participating pupils are grouped in pairs and follow a series of activities that seek to improve reading comprehension and fluency of expression. Pupils are supervised by a tutor, most commonly a teaching assistant. The programme was designed by the charity Success for All and was adapted from a programme which was available in the United States for younger struggling readers (6-7 years). This project sought to assess the impact of the programme on Year 6 pupils who were at risk of not achieving Level 4a and above in reading at the end of Key Stage 2. 72 pupils from six schools across England completed the trial. Pupils followed the programme on a daily basis for 30 minutes each day over a period of six weeks. Typically four to eight pupils, split into pairs with similar levels of prior attainment, would participate at the same time. The study was funded by the Education Endowment Foundation as one of 24 projects in a themed round on literacy catch-up at the primary-secondary transition. Key conclusions include: (1) The evaluation was unable to provide a secure estimate of the programme's impact on literacy, primarily due to the large number of schools that dropped out of the trial; (2) It would have been beneficial to undertake further programme development, including software testing, prior to trialling the programme in English schools; (3) A number of schools perceived the programme as having some promise and worked with the developers and Success for All to overcome initial difficulties with the software; (4) The programme had been adapted as a catch-up literacy programme for Year 6, but the process evaluation suggested that it may be better targeted at a younger age group; and (5) To assess the efficacy of approaches that combine collaborative learning with computer-assisted technology to improve reading comprehension, further evaluation would be required.
Abstractor: ERIC
Number of References: 6
Entry Date: 2018
Accession Number: ED581542
Database: ERIC
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  Data: Tutoring with Alphie: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary
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  Data: Education Endowment Foundation. 9th Floor Millbank Tower, Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP, UK. Tel: +44-207-802-1676; e-mail: info@eefoundation.org.uk; Web site: https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/
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  Data: Tutoring with Alphie is a computer-assisted programme that aims to improve the literacy skills of struggling readers. The programme combines elements of collaborative (or 'cooperative') learning, computer-assisted instruction and small group support. Participating pupils are grouped in pairs and follow a series of activities that seek to improve reading comprehension and fluency of expression. Pupils are supervised by a tutor, most commonly a teaching assistant. The programme was designed by the charity Success for All and was adapted from a programme which was available in the United States for younger struggling readers (6-7 years). This project sought to assess the impact of the programme on Year 6 pupils who were at risk of not achieving Level 4a and above in reading at the end of Key Stage 2. 72 pupils from six schools across England completed the trial. Pupils followed the programme on a daily basis for 30 minutes each day over a period of six weeks. Typically four to eight pupils, split into pairs with similar levels of prior attainment, would participate at the same time. The study was funded by the Education Endowment Foundation as one of 24 projects in a themed round on literacy catch-up at the primary-secondary transition. Key conclusions include: (1) The evaluation was unable to provide a secure estimate of the programme's impact on literacy, primarily due to the large number of schools that dropped out of the trial; (2) It would have been beneficial to undertake further programme development, including software testing, prior to trialling the programme in English schools; (3) A number of schools perceived the programme as having some promise and worked with the developers and Success for All to overcome initial difficulties with the software; (4) The programme had been adapted as a catch-up literacy programme for Year 6, but the process evaluation suggested that it may be better targeted at a younger age group; and (5) To assess the efficacy of approaches that combine collaborative learning with computer-assisted technology to improve reading comprehension, further evaluation would be required.
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 32
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Reading Difficulties
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Evaluation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Program Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Cooperative Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Comprehension
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Fluency
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Randomized Controlled Trials
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Comparative Analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer Assisted Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Educational Technology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Small Group Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Online Surveys
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative Research
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical Analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interviews
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intervention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multiple Regression Analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Programmed Tutoring
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Pretests Posttests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: United Kingdom (England)
        Type: general
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      – TitleFull: Tutoring with Alphie: Evaluation Report and Executive Summary
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