Use of randomised control trials to evaluate student attainment in literacy and numeracy.
An RCT evaluation of the Numeracy and Literacy Project
Synopsis
The Improving Numeracy and Literacy Programme consisted of two separate teacher-training programmes designed to improve pupils’numeracy and literacy ability.
Aimed at Year 2 pupils, the Mathematics and Reasoning programme aimed to develop pupils’ understanding of the logical principles underlying mathematics, and the Literacy and Morphemes programme aimed to improve spelling and reading comprehension by teaching children about sentence structure and morphemes. Teachers in both fields were given a day of teacher training, resources for delivering ten lessons, and accompanying computer games for the pupils to use in class or at home.
The results showed that pupils in the numeracy intervention schools made roughly three months’ additional progress in numeracy than pupils in the control schools. The pupils who received the literacy programme made slightly less progress in literacy than the control group, but this difference was too small to confidently conclude that it was caused by the intervention.
Methodology
CPD Opportunities
Exploring the impact of the Numeracy and Literacy Project, aimed at improving Year Two pupils’ performance in these areas, this report will prove useful for teachers with similar responsibilities.