FROM A TO Z: EVALUATING THE EFFICACY AND SPILLOVER EFFECTS OF A 2ND-GRADE READING INTERVENTION PROGRAM
V. Adão1, J. Lopes1, C. Oliveira2
Students who experience reading difficulties in primary school often struggle to progress to more advanced stages of reading development. Reading fluency interventions play a crucial role in improving reading speed, accuracy, prosody and consequently, comprehension in students with learning difficulties. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a reading intervention program by comparing the reading development of struggling 2nd-grade students who participated in the program with those who did not receive the intervention. Additionally, it explores the potential spillover effects on non-participating students. The A to Z program incorporates repeated readings, word recognition, morphological analysis, text comprehension and writing development. Students receive individual or small-group support from teachers, with approximately three 45 minute sessions per week, throughout the school year. The findings will contribute to a deeper understanding of both the direct and indirect impacts of structured intervention programs on early literacy development.
Keywords: Reading and writing difficulties, intervention program, reading fluency, elementary school.