- This strategy can help address educational disparities. The U.S. Department of Treasury has indicated that strategies that help achieve this outcome are eligible for the use of Fiscal Recovery Funds.
- Investments in this strategy are SLFRF-eligible as long as they are made in qualified census tracts or are designed to assist populations or communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.
Program overview
Improving reading outcomes: SpellRead is a reading intervention program designed for struggling readers aged 5 and up. The program is associated with improved reading comprehension, reading fluency, and alphabetics.
Structured, small-group lessons: SpellRead consists of 105 lessons, each of which is delivered during a 60-90 minute block. Each lesson includes instruction on a foundational skill; guided reading, where students apply new skills; and a writing prompt, which allows students to demonstrate comprehension and practice spelling and composition skills. The program is delivered through small-group instruction, with one trained educator and five or fewer students, often as part of an intensive reading class separate from more general instruction.
Scaffolding reading skills: As part of the program, students progress through three phases, which cover phonemic awareness, phonetic decoding, spelling, reading fluency, reading comprehension, writing, and more. Each phase focuses on developing students’ automaticity, which allows them to quickly and accurately identify words.
- Strategies
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Literacy curricula and interventions
- Cost per Participant
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Not available
Two studies with rigorous designs demonstrate that SpellRead is a well-established approach to improve reading comprehension, reading fluency, and alphabetics.
- This assessment is based on evidence from a 2013 systematic review.
Note: This content is under review.
Prepare educators for implementation: Schools should provide professional development and ongoing support to educators implementing the SpellRead program. SpellRead Works, which developed the SpellRead program, offers pre- and post-implementation workshops and coaching to partner schools.
Identify and group students: Schools should select students for their SpellRead programming based on a diagnostic literacy assessment. The same results can be used to group students based on their word-level reading ability. Groups should not exceed five students.
Schedule sufficient time for instruction: The SpellRead model should be delivered during regular, 60-90 minute blocks over the course of the school year. Schools should dedicate time during the school day for students to participate in SpellRead instruction.
Use data to monitor progress: Educators should use data to monitor student progress. These data can be used to identify areas where students require additional support. The writing component of each SpellRead lesson offers an opportunity to assess students’ comprehension of the lesson’s key concepts.