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Differential Effects of a Literacy Intervention across Academic Cycles in Children with Learning Difficulties

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Title: Differential Effects of a Literacy Intervention across Academic Cycles in Children with Learning Difficulties
Language: English
Authors: María Carmona (ORCID 0009-0007-3981-6567), Sara Mata (ORCID 0000-0002-4648-013X), Macarena De los Santos-Roig (ORCID 0000-0003-0566-743X), Francisca Serrano (ORCID 0000-0001-9000-6892)
Source: Journal of Research in Reading. 2026 49(2).
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: Learning Problems, Intervention, Literacy, Reading Skills, Skill Development, Reading Improvement, Elementary School Students, Foreign Countries, Phonology, Orthographic Symbols, Suprasegmentals, Reading Achievement, Achievement Gains, Reading Instruction, Instructional Effectiveness, Multiple Literacies
Geographic Terms: Spain
DOI: 10.1111/1467-9817.70025
ISSN: 0141-0423
1467-9817
Abstract: Background: This study explored the differential effects of a comprehensive intervention program for improving literacy skills in monolingual children with learning difficulties (LD) from Spain, enrolled in the second (Grades 3 and 4; aged 8-10 years) and third cycles (Grades 5 and 6; aged 10-12 years) of primary school. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre--post intervention design with three groups (intervention [LD-i], waiting-control [LD-w] and typical development [TD]) was used. A total of 34 second-cycle and 9 third-cycle children received 16 individualized sessions of explicit, systematic, and intensive training in reading, decoding, phonological, orthographic, prosodic, and morphological skills, at the sublexical and lexical levels. Evidence-based practices such as repeated practice and game-based techniques were applied, considering multisensory and cognitive approaches. The LD-i group was compared with the LD-w group (38 second-cycle and 20 third-cycle children) and with the TD group (31 second-cycle and 25 third-cycle children), who received regular school instruction. Results: Differential effects across cycles were observed after the intervention: second-cycle children in the LD-i group outperformed the LD-w group in phonological, orthographic and prosodic skills, reducing performance gaps with the TD group. Third-cycle students did not show statistical differences when compared with their LD-w peers. At the same time, both cycles showed similar gains after receiving the intervention, except for a word dictation task where second-cycle children improved more. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive, early, age-sensitive, and balanced literacy instruction to address LD, especially when older children experience persistent difficulties.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1506799
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: EJ1506799
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
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Items – Name: Title
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  Group: Ti
  Data: Differential Effects of a Literacy Intervention across Academic Cycles in Children with Learning Difficulties
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22María+Carmona%22">María Carmona</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0009-0007-3981-6567">0009-0007-3981-6567</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sara+Mata%22">Sara Mata</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4648-013X">0000-0002-4648-013X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Macarena+De+los+Santos-Roig%22">Macarena De los Santos-Roig</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0566-743X">0000-0003-0566-743X</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Francisca+Serrano%22">Francisca Serrano</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9000-6892">0000-0001-9000-6892</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Journal+of+Research+in+Reading%22"><i>Journal of Research in Reading</i></searchLink>. 2026 49(2).
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: Y
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 12
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Learning+Problems%22">Learning Problems</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Intervention%22">Intervention</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Literacy%22">Literacy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Skills%22">Reading Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Skill+Development%22">Skill Development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Improvement%22">Reading Improvement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Foreign+Countries%22">Foreign Countries</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Phonology%22">Phonology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Orthographic+Symbols%22">Orthographic Symbols</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Suprasegmentals%22">Suprasegmentals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Achievement%22">Reading Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Gains%22">Achievement Gains</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Instruction%22">Reading Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Instructional+Effectiveness%22">Instructional Effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multiple+Literacies%22">Multiple Literacies</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Spain%22">Spain</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
  Label: DOI
  Group: ID
  Data: 10.1111/1467-9817.70025
– Name: ISSN
  Label: ISSN
  Group: ISSN
  Data: 0141-0423<br />1467-9817
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Background: This study explored the differential effects of a comprehensive intervention program for improving literacy skills in monolingual children with learning difficulties (LD) from Spain, enrolled in the second (Grades 3 and 4; aged 8-10 years) and third cycles (Grades 5 and 6; aged 10-12 years) of primary school. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre--post intervention design with three groups (intervention [LD-i], waiting-control [LD-w] and typical development [TD]) was used. A total of 34 second-cycle and 9 third-cycle children received 16 individualized sessions of explicit, systematic, and intensive training in reading, decoding, phonological, orthographic, prosodic, and morphological skills, at the sublexical and lexical levels. Evidence-based practices such as repeated practice and game-based techniques were applied, considering multisensory and cognitive approaches. The LD-i group was compared with the LD-w group (38 second-cycle and 20 third-cycle children) and with the TD group (31 second-cycle and 25 third-cycle children), who received regular school instruction. Results: Differential effects across cycles were observed after the intervention: second-cycle children in the LD-i group outperformed the LD-w group in phonological, orthographic and prosodic skills, reducing performance gaps with the TD group. Third-cycle students did not show statistical differences when compared with their LD-w peers. At the same time, both cycles showed similar gains after receiving the intervention, except for a word dictation task where second-cycle children improved more. Conclusions: These findings highlight the importance of comprehensive, early, age-sensitive, and balanced literacy instruction to address LD, especially when older children experience persistent difficulties.
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  Data: As Provided
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  Data: 2026
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  Label: Accession Number
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  Data: EJ1506799
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=EJ1506799
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    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/1467-9817.70025
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Learning Problems
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Intervention
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Literacy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Skill Development
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Improvement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Foreign Countries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Phonology
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Orthographic Symbols
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Suprasegmentals
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Achievement Gains
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Instructional Effectiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Multiple Literacies
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Spain
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Differential Effects of a Literacy Intervention across Academic Cycles in Children with Learning Difficulties
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            NameFull: María Carmona
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            NameFull: Sara Mata
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            NameFull: Macarena De los Santos-Roig
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            NameFull: Francisca Serrano
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              M: 05
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 0141-0423
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              Value: 1467-9817
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              Value: 49
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              Value: 2
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Research in Reading
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