Nancy Scammacca|Greg Roberts|Sharon Vaughn|Karla K. Stuebing
A Meta-Analysis of Interventions for Struggling Readers in Grades 4–12
The University of Texas at Austin|The University of Texas at Austin|The University of Texas at Austin|University of Houston
metaanalysis synthesizes literature interventions struggling readers grades 4 12 published 1980 2011 updates scammacca et als analysis studies published 1980 2004 combined corpus 82 studywise effect sizes metaanalyzed determine overall effectiveness reading interventions studied past 30 years b magnitude effect varies based student intervention research design characteristics c differences effectiveness exist recent interventions older ones analysis yielded mean effect 049 considerably smaller 095 mean effect reported 2007 mean effect standardized measures 021 also much smaller 042 mean effect reported 2007 mean effects reading comprehension measures similarly diminished results indicated mean effects 19802004 20052011 groups studies different statistically significant degree decline effect sizes time attributed least part increased use standardized measures rigorous complex research designs differences participant characteristics improvements schools businessasusual instruction often serves comparison condition intervention studies