Study: Blended Learning Literacy Tool Boosts Reading Achievement

Findings from a new study by McREL International suggest that Raz-Plus® is an effective supplemental resource to improve elementary students’ reading achievement and interest within high poverty and high racial/ethnic minority schools.

The McREL study, which was conducted in the spring of 2018, involved 662 students from 39 classrooms in three rural elementary schools in the southeast United States. All three schools serve predominantly low-income, minority student populations. Teachers used Raz-Plus, a blended learning platform for K-5 reading from Learning A-Z ®, as a supplemental resource three to five times per week for a total of 60 to 90 minutes per week, on average.

Pre- and post-assessments show statistically significant differences between the treatment and control groups in this randomized controlled trial. Students whose teachers used Raz-Plus had higher reading achievement scores than students in the control group, as measured by the STAR assessment. In addition, students whose teachers used Raz-Plus showed a higher level of interest in both academic and recreational reading than students in the control group, as measured by the Elementary Reading Attitude Survey (ERAS).

Raz-Plus combines teacher-led whole-class and small-group instruction with technology-enabled resources for personalized reading practice.

For a free trial or to learn more about Raz-Plus, visit https://www.raz-plus.com.