Education Endowment Foundation:Rhythm for Reading

Rhythm for Reading

Adamsrill Primary School
Implementation costThe cost estimates in the Toolkits are based on the average cost of delivering the intervention.
Evidence strengthThis rating provides an overall estimate of the robustness of the evidence, to help support professional decision-making in schools.
Impact (months)The impact measure shows the number of additional months of progress made, on average, by children and young people who received the intervention, compared to similar children and young people who did not.
0
months
Project info

Independent Evaluator

NFER logo
NFER
Rhythm-based exercises to improve literacy.
Schools: 6 Grant: £78,755
Key Stage: 3 Duration: 1 year(s) 1 month(s) Type of Trial: Efficacy Trial
Completed February 2014

Rhythm for Reading is a programme which aims to improve children’s reading ability by taking part in rhythm-based exercises such as stamping, clapping and chanting, while reading musical notation. The intervention builds on the evidence of a link between the natural rhythm and phrasing of prose and intuitive reading comprehension.

Rhythm for Reading was originally developed as an intervention for primary school pupils. In this evaluation, the intervention was delivered to Year 7 pupils who had not reached a secure Level 4 in English at the end of Key Stage 2. They received weekly ten-minute sessions over a period of ten weeks between April and July 2013. Pupils were randomised to receive the intervention in Year 7 or to a waitlist control group. The intervention was delivered in schools by the developer.

The evaluation was funded by the Education Endowment Foundation as one of 23 projects focused on literacy catch-up at the primary-secondary transition. It was one of four programmes funded with a particular focus on reading comprehension.

Outcome/​Group
ImpactThe size of the difference between pupils in this trial and other pupils
SecurityHow confident are we in this result?
Rhythm for Reading
0
Months' progress
(Effect size 0.03)
Rhythm for Reading (FSM pupils)
+2
Months' progress
(Effect size 0.11)
N/A