Research and evaluation

Reading Recovery has been widely researched nationally and internationally. This is crucial to understanding the wider impact of intervention: it enables us to learn lessons from the past and sharpens our awareness and monitoring of the present, in order to make cost effective decisions for the future.

Research also helps refine and improve literacy intervention generally, examining issues ranging from effectiveness and cost-effectiveness, to self-esteem and continued progress. In short, research enables policymakers to have a better understanding of Reading Recovery's multiple facets. Below, we have categorised research publications based on the questions which are most commonly asked when considering whether to implement Reading Recovery.

a girl reading a book, photographer Philip Meech, copyright UCL

Effectiveness

a boy working on a cut sentence, reading words, photographer Philip Meech, copyright UCL

Continued progress

Self esteem

reading recovery lesson, a girl is reading a book to her teacher

Review of research

a girl reading a book with her teacher, photographer Philip Meech, copyright UCL

Cost effectiveness

PC keyboard, UCL image store, copyright UCL

Data evaluation reports

Does Reading Recovery work?

Yes. Eight out of every 10 children who complete it catch up with their classmates. Find the evidence in:

Reading Recovery data evaluation reports;
Overcoming illiteracy with Reading Recovery (PDF, 757KB);
'Early intervention: The Next Steps' (HM Government, 2011).
Reading Recovery is cited as one of 19 effective early interventions to reach the reports quality threshold, and the only one for school level literacy.

Reading Recovery is recognised as an example of good practice in literacy education by:

What are the cost benefits in educational attainment?

For further information on reports relating to cost benefits in educational attainment, please visit The Centre for Longitudinal Studies (CLS) website.

What are the long term costs?
For further information, see The long term costs of literacy difficulties 2nd edition (PDF, 873KB), published by Every Child a Chance Trust in January 2009.

Contact us

If you need expert opinion on literacy learning and literacy difficulties, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
Email: ioe.ilc@ucl.ac.uk