Lexonik is a reading and vocabulary company that supports teachers globally to raise attainment through transformational programmes and training. Based on research and experience in phonology, literacy and dyslexia, Lexonik’s programmes aim to give all school staff and students the skills they need to improve their reading, spelling and vocabulary. In September 2021, Lexonik commissioned the National Literacy Trust to help them evaluate the impact of Lexonik Advance on children and young people’s reading. This report presents the findings of this evaluation, focusing on changes in students’ reading attainment alongside changes in school staff’s teaching and classroom practice.
The key findings from this evaluation include:
Improving student decoding skills
The programme successfully improved students’ decoding skills:
- The average score on the test used is 100, with students scoring within 15 below or above this having an average score for their age. On average, students who took part in Lexonik Advance had a standardised score of 94.5 before taking part. After taking part in the programme, the average score had increased to 106.0.
- The programme was particularly beneficial for students who began with decoding skills below the national average and for older students.
Developing staff practice and confidence
Staff members benefited from the programme in terms of their own practice and confidence supporting students’ reading:
- 9 in 10 (90.2%) felt that the programme increased their confidence to support struggling readers effectively, and nearly 9 in 10 (89.0%) thought the programme was valuable for their professional development.
- Of those who personally attended the training, more than 9 in 10 felt that they had a better understanding of how to support students’ vocabulary development (95.6%) and increased confidence to support their phonological awareness (93.4%).
- The programme was also successful in creating a wider change in how reading is now taught in the schools as nearly 3 in 4 (72.6%) told us they had shared what they had learned in the training with their colleagues.