WWC report on Early Intervention Reading (EIR) program

Not many studies meet the evidence criteria for WWC. Only one study looking at EIR did and here are excerpts from the summary findings.

"Early Intervention in Reading (EIR)^® is a program designed to provide extra instruction to groups of students at risk of failing to learn to read. The program uses picture books to stress instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, and contextual analysis, along with repeated reading and writing. In grades K, 1, and 2, the program is based on whole-class instruction, with additional small group instruction provided to struggling readers. In grades 3 and 4, the program consists of small group instruction for 20 minutes, four days a week. Teachers are trained for nine months using workshops and an Internet-based professional development program.

Research

One study of EIR^® meets What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) evidence standards...

Based on this one study, the WWC considers the extent of evidence for EIR^® to be small for alphabetics and comprehension. No studies that meet WWC evidence standards with or without reservations examined the effectiveness of EIR^® in the fluency or general reading achievement domains.

Effectiveness

EIR^® was found to have potentially positive effects on alphabetics and comprehension."

Links to other parts of the report are here: http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/reports/beginning_reading/eir/index.asp