A Need for Literacy Intervention

In New Zealand, literacy rates have been a growing concern, with only 56% of year eight students meeting expected reading levels and just 35% meeting writing expectations, according to Education Minister Erica Stanford. In response, the government has committed $67 million to the implementation of structured literacy programs. However, there remains uncertainty among educators about what this means in practice.

Background

It is widely recognised that students who have been identified as struggling with literacy rarely catch up with their peers, despite remedial help, which in some cases, lasts for years.

Schools quite justifiably blame this situation on resourcing and battle year after year to improve things for their learners. However, this situation is currently unsatisfactory for several reasons:

• Schools feel they need to prioritise their highest need students, so they tend to not address difficulties until students reach that level of need.
• Schools are overwhelmed with the number of students needing help and need to limit the amount of time allocated to each group.
• By the time students are identified as struggling, their needs have become even more complex, yet they are taught by TAs who lack specialist training in this field.

Exploring a Proven Structured Literacy Approach

In 2023, a two-term independent study was conducted by RTLB 6 in 6 Primary Schools in West Auckland. The study set out to assess the impact of structured literacy approaches on literacy outcomes using StepsWeb.

The goal was to show how the needs of struggling students can be met with a different approach, even within the same resourcing constraints. The approach was geared towards:

• Stopping as many students as possible from failing in the first place.
• Identifying struggling students early and providing effective intervention to genuinely catch them up, thus freeing up resources.

In addition to assessing literacy progress, a specialist analysis was conducted by Dr Heidi Leeson, a specialist researcher and the founder of Monocle Education, which helps schools develop the social and emotional learning of their students.  Dr Leeson’s study with the same students aimed to identify links between developing literacy success and key aspects of social and emotional wellbeing.

A Collaborative Effort Between RTLB, Teachers, and StepsWeb

The study involved whole year-groups, integrating StepsWeb into daily instruction over six months.

All students in the chosen year-groups were tested on StepsWeb and in consultation with class teachers at the beginning of the study. The aims of the testing were as follows:

• Analyse literacy level and get a current standardised Spelling Age for every learner.
• To place them on the structured StepsWeb literacy Course according to their literacy level.
• Measure visual recognition speed.
• Students were allocated to one of the four Response to Intervention (RTI) Tiers recommended by StepsWeb and received appropriate support.   This included high- and moderate-need students as follows:

Tier 3 students (moderate needs):    Used workbooks as well as online activities
Tier 4 students (high needs):  Remedial groups of 4 students, using online activities, workbooks and supporting activities.

Progress in reading fluency was measured by the Visual Recognition Test on StepsWeb. 

Students were tested again in the same way at the end of the 20-week period.

Teacher Training and Support

Teachers completed the online Core Skills Course on their StepsWeb logins.  The teachers were also given guidance on monitoring student progress, including completing their Weekly Goals and receiving appropriate support when necessary.  

 

Literacy Progress:
The average literacy gain across the six schools was 14 months of progress in just six months—more than double the expected rate.

On average, students gained 14 months in spelling age after using StepsWeb consistently for just 6 months.

Their average visual recognition speed (indicator of reading fluency) improved by 51%.

The six month period included 20 school weeks. Exact start and end dates varied slightly between schools.

 

Dr Heidi Leeson’s study looked at three key aspects of social and emotional learning:

The study looked at links with the following literacy aspects:

• Phonological Awareness and Phonic Knowledge
• Fluency
• Vocabulary
• General Reading ability

Interesting links between progress in these areas were identified.

• Improved phonological awareness and phonic knowledge led to gains in all three areas.
• Improved general reading ability also led to gains in self-concept and self-esteem
• Fluency gains were linked to self-efficacy.
• Gains in Visual Recognition speed were also statistically linked with improved self-efficacy.

The study conclusively showed that the structured literacy approach provided by StepsWeb and its supporting materials catered for all learners within each year-group, including those with neuro-diverse needs and English language learners.  

It also highlighted the links between literacy attainment and emotional well-being.  This emphasises the need to provide evidence-based solutions which empower learners, reduce inequities and support teachers to meet individual needs within their classes.

Implications for Education

The findings from this study reinforce the value of using StepsWeb as part of a structured literacy approach to address a diverse range of literacy needs. As the government mandates structured literacy programs, this study offers critical insights into how programs like StepsWeb, which is developed here in New Zealand, can be successfully implemented across entire school populations—not just for struggling learners, but for all students.

Going Forward

This study demonstrates the potential of structured literacy to drive significant improvements in literacy outcomes while promoting student well-being. StepsWeb’s inclusive approach provides an evidence-based solution that empowers learners, reduces gaps, and supports schools in achieving widespread literacy success.