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Advancing
Literacy With Large Print: Executive Summary
Gale:
2019
WHEN LITERACY MEETS LARGE PRINT
Rather than a catalyst for lifelong
learning, reading can represent a challenging and demoralizing school
experience for many of our nation’s students. According to the latest results
from the National
Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) testing, almost two-thirds of 4th
and 8th grade students in our schools are reading at a basic or below basic
level. NAEP guidelines define the basic level as a partial mastery of
fundamental skills, while the higher proficient level in reading is marked by
solid academic performance and competency over challenging subject matter.
Given the low level of reading mastery overall, it’s not surprising that many
students say they don’t enjoy reading for schoolwork. Strong reading
comprehension skills are essential for student success. If students don’t feel
comfortable reading in elementary and middle school, not only will they not
develop lifelong reading habits, they won’t be well prepared for high
school–level work or the intensive academic and workplace reading that comes
after.
This situation is especially acute for
striving readers. Striving readers are students who may be unmotivated or
perceive reading as having little value for them. They may lack visual acuity,
vocabulary, or comprehension skills. Striving readers can also include those
for whom English is a second language, have been diagnosed with attention
deficit disorder (ADD), or have a learning disability like dyslexia. Besides
obvious academic obstacles, striving readers face emotional and social issues.
Research indicates that low achievement in reading correlates with increased
referrals for school discipline and higher incidences of poor school
attendance, dropping out of school, and even juvenile crime.
National thought leaders on reading
instruction affirm that if a student is not intrinsically motivated to read and
not engaged in what they are reading, their teacher’s explicit skill-based
instruction around reading is unproductive. It is therefore critical that
educators find new ways to make reading more meaningful for students by
leveraging the power of context and comfort in the reading process to increase
student engagement, elevate reading comprehension, and support the development
of lifelong reading habits.
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KEY RESEARCH FINDINGS
STUDENTS
Felt positive change in their perception
of reading
Students reported a 43% reduction in
feelings of anxiety about reading when using the large print format.
Grew in personal self-efficacy
Compared to other reading experiences,
nearly 60% of students in grades 6–8 said they were better able to stay focused
and did not lose their place due to distractions when reading large print.
Wanted greater access to large print
books
54% of students in grades 3–12 in the
study said that school reading experiences would be more enjoyable if all books
were large print.
TEACHERS
Attributed large print as helping to
develop stronger reading skills
3 in 4 of teachers said students reading
below grade level demonstrated increased reading comprehension and better
retention with the large print books.
Developed an expanded perception on how
various striving readers can benefit from large print
As a result of exposure to large print, 4
in 5 teachers said large print would benefit their students who have trouble
tracking when reading or lack self-confidence in their reading abilities.
Recommended and will continue using large
print
95% of teachers said they’re likely to
use large print text in the upcoming school year with their students.
OUTCOMES
Improved reading mindsets
69% of striving readers said they enjoyed
reading the large print text more than any other class books during the school
year. Only 20% of striving readers who read the standard print edition of the
identical title said the same.
Increased Lexile levels and comprehension
scores
One school with access to large print
text increased their Lexile reading levels by 2–3 times the average recommended
growth for middle school students. READ
MORE ➤➤
Based on (7) readability formulas:
Grade
Level: 15
Reading
Level: difficult to read.
Reader's
Age: College graduate
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