Reading to mastery: A paraprofessional delivered small group systematic reading intervention informed by the psychology of efficacy development.

Reading to Mastery (R2M) is a one group pre-post design small group
supplementary reading intervention delivered by briefly trained
paraprofessionals (Teaching Assistants (TAs)) and informed by the
psychology of efficacy development (Bandura, 1997, 2001). The R2M
intervention focused on teaching the five components of reading (phonics,
phonology, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension) in a small group
environment to facilitate the development of reader and learner efficacy. TAs
delivering the R2M intervention received five half-day training sessions (15
hours). R2M was implemented in two stages over a 22-week period between
two and three times a day for a period of 12 minutes each time (Reading
Fluency stage) and an additional 20 minutes twice weekly for the final nine
weeks (Reading Comprehension stage). In total, the students (N=93), aged
between 6-11 years old, received 44 to 66 hours of Reading Fluency, and 6
hours of Reading Comprehension instruction.
This study evaluated the outcomes of the R2M intervention using both
quantitative and qualitative measures. Student performance was assessed on
the standardised measures, Reading Accuracy, Reading Comprehension
(Neale, 1997) and Word Recognition British Ability Scales (Elliott, 1996), and
a non-standardised measure of High Frequency Sight Vocabulary (SESS,
2004). The Reading Self-Concept (Chapman & Tunmer, 1995) and Myself-as-
Learner attitude scales (Burden, 1998) were also used. A MANCOVA was
used to assess the effects of R2M on the four achievement measures pre-and
post intervention, with gender and chronological age identified as the
covariates. Qualitative data was obtained from an inductive thematic analysis
of written responses to a questionnaire completed by an opportunity sample of
school staff to assess perception of outcomes following participation in the
study.
Results indicated a statistically significant effect on all four performance
measures following participation in the R2M intervention, with chronological
age positively correlated with achievement on the four measures. Incomplete
data from the attitude scales meant it was not possible to analyse the effects
of R2M on student attitudes or draw conclusions about student efficacy.Student outcomes on the performance measures were used to infer the ability
of TAs to deliver the R2M programme effectively. Findings of the thematic
analysis suggest increased individual efficacy of TAs, as well as indicators of
collective or organisational efficacy of schools, in implementing the R2M
intervention. Implications for future research and educational psychology
practice are discussed.

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