Reading Plus: Does It Really Improve Comprehension?

Reading Plus offers several distinctive features that align particularly well with UK classroom needs and the National Curriculum's emphasis on reading fluency and comprehension. The platform's InSight assessment tool provides teachers with detailed diagnostic information about each student's reading profile, measuring not just comprehension but also silent reading efficiency and visual processing skills. This comprehensive assessment approach supports the UK curriculum's focus on ensuring pupils can read fluently and understand increasingly complex texts across all subjects.

The PAVE warm-up exercises represent one of Reading Plus's most effective features for UK teachers managing diverse learners. These brief activities target visual perception, attention, vocabulary, and efficiency before each reading session. For instance, a Year 7 teacher in Manchester found that students with dyslexia showed marked improvement in reading stamina after just six weeks of consistent PAVE exercises, as these activities specifically address the visual processing challenges that traditional phonics interventions often miss.

The platform's moving window technique is particularly valuable for UK teachers supporting reluctant readers or those with attention difficulties. This feature presents text in a controlled, moving format that guides eye movement and reduces visual overwhelm. Teachers report this helps students who previously struggled with dense text pages, enabling them to access age-appropriate content from the KS3 and KS4 reading lists. Additionally, the real-time performance monitoring alerts teachers immediately when students show concerning patterns, such as reading too quickly without comprehension or inconsistent performance that might indicate off-task behaviour.

Reading Plus's multi-genre text library spans 19 reading levels and includes content specifically relevant to UK students, from British historical texts to contemporary articles about UK current affairs. This ensures that while students work at their instructional level, they're still engaging with culturally relevant material that supports broader curriculum objectives across subjects like history, geography, and science.

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How Does Reading Plus Compare to Other Literacy Interventions?

Unlike traditional literacy interventions that often focus heavily on phonics or isolated comprehension strategies, Reading Plus takes a complete approach to reading development that addresses multiple reading components simultaneously. While programmes like Fresh Start or Read Write Inc are excellent for developing foundational decoding skills, Reading Plus specifically targets the transition from learning to read to reading to learn. This makes it particularly valuable for UK secondary schools where students need to access complex subject-specific texts across the curriculum.

The key differentiator lies in Reading Plus's adaptive technology and real-time personalisation. Traditional interventions typically require teachers to manually assess progress and adjust difficulty levels, which can be time-consuming in busy UK classrooms. Reading Plus automatically adjusts text difficulty, pacing, and support based on student performance, allowing one teacher to effectively differentiate for 30 students simultaneously. A head of English at a Birmingham secondary school noted that while their previous intervention required significant teacher preparation time, Reading Plus enabled them to focus on supporting students during the sessions rather than preparing materials.

In terms of progress monitoring and data collection, Reading Plus provides far more detailed analytics than most traditional interventions. While paper-based programmes might track completion rates or end-of-unit assessments, Reading Plus captures reading rate, comprehension accuracy, time spent re-reading passages, and even patterns of attention throughout each session. This granular data helps UK teachers identify specific areas for targeted support and provides evidence for SEND reviews or progress reports to parents and senior leadership.

However, Reading Plus does require consistent access to technology and reliable internet connectivity, which can be challenging for some UK schools. Traditional interventions like guided reading groups or paper-based comprehension programmes don't face these technological barriers. Additionally, while Reading Plus excels at building reading stamina and comprehension, it may need to be supplemented with explicit phonics instruction for students with significant decoding difficulties, making it most effective as part of a comprehensive literacy strategy rather than a standalone solution.

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What Evidence Supports Reading Plus Effectiveness?

Research evidence for Reading Plus shows promising results, particularly in studies conducted in similar educational contexts to the UK. Independent research published in peer-reviewed journals has demonstrated that students using Reading Plus for a full academic year typically achieve reading gains equivalent to 1.5 to 2.2 years of growth, with the most significant improvements seen in reading comprehension and silent reading fluency. These findings are particularly relevant for UK schools facing pressure to close reading gaps, especially post-pandemic recovery efforts.

A large-scale study involving over 14,000 students across multiple US districts found that Reading Plus users showed statistically significant improvements in standardised reading assessments compared to control groups using traditional literacy interventions. Of particular interest to UK educators, the research showed that struggling readers in Years 7-9 (equivalent age groups) demonstrated the most dramatic gains, with average improvement rates of 2.3 years of reading growth in a single academic year. These results align with Ofsted's emphasis on ensuring students can access age-appropriate texts across all curriculum subjects.

UK pilot programmes have provided additional evidence of effectiveness within the British educational context. A multi-academy trust in the West Midlands implemented Reading Plus across five secondary schools and reported significant improvements in both reading ages and student engagement with reading. Their internal evaluation showed that 78% of participating students improved their reading age by at least 12 months after one year of implementation, with particularly strong results among students eligible for pupil premium funding.

However, note that the research also indicates that implementation fidelity is crucial for achieving these results. Schools that saw the greatest gains ensured students completed at least three 20-minute sessions per week with consistent teacher monitoring and support. UK schools considering Reading Plus should therefore factor in the need for dedicated curriculum time and staff training to maximise the programme's effectiveness. The evidence suggests that when properly implemented, Reading Plus can significantly support UK schools' statutory duty to ensure all students develop strong reading skills, but success requires committed implementation rather than simply providing access to the platform.

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Evidence-Based Reading Comprehension Strategies

Effective reading comprehension instruction combines explicit strategy teaching, guided practice with authentic texts, and gradual release of responsibility to students. Research identifies seven key strategies that proficient readers use: activating prior knowledge, questioning, visualising, making inferences, determining importance, synthesising, and monitoring comprehension.

Activating prior knowledge helps readers connect new information to what they already understand. Before reading, teachers can prompt students to consider what they know about the topic, predict content based on titles or images, or share personal experiences related to themes. This pre-reading work creates mental frameworks that help students organise and retain new information. Research consistently shows that activating relevant background knowledge improves both comprehension and retention.

Questioning involves generating questions before, during, and after reading. Proficient readers ask themselves: What is this about? What will happen next? Why did the character do that? Does this make sense? Teachers can model this internal dialogue through think-alouds, explicitly demonstrating how they form questions whilst reading. Students then practice generating their own questions, moving from teacher-prompted queries to self-generated inquiry. Question generation particularly supports active engagement, preventing passive eye movements across text without genuine comprehension.

Visualising means creating mental images of characters, settings, events, or concepts whilst reading. This strategy proves particularly powerful for narrative texts but also supports understanding of non-fiction when readers imagine processes, systems, or sequences. Teachers can develop visualisation skills by asking students to describe mental images, draw what they envision, or compare their visualisations with classmates. Some readers naturally visualise, whilst others need explicit instruction and practice to develop this capacity.

Making inferences requires readers to combine text clues with background knowledge to understand implied information. Much of what authors communicate remains unstated, requiring readers to read between the lines. Teachers can support inference-making by asking questions that require going beyond literal text: 'How do you think the character felt?', 'Why might the author have chosen this title?', 'What can you conclude about the time period?'. Explicitly teaching students to cite both text evidence and reasoning for their inferences strengthens this crucial skill.

Determining importance involves distinguishing main ideas from supporting details. In informational texts, this means identifying key concepts, themes, or arguments rather than becoming lost in specifics. In narrative texts, it means following central plot developments and character arcs. Graphic organisers such as main idea webs or summary frames scaffold this skill. Teachers can also model determining importance through think-alouds that demonstrate how they decide which information to remember versus which serves supporting roles.

Synthesising means combining information from multiple sources or text sections to create new understanding. This higher-order skill builds on other strategies, requiring readers to remember, connect, and transform what they have read. Synthesis occurs when students compare texts, update predictions based on new information, or articulate how their thinking changed during reading. Teachers support synthesis by prompting students to discuss how ideas connect across texts or how their understanding evolved from beginning to end of readings.

Monitoring comprehension involves noticing when understanding breaks down and deploying fix-up strategies. Proficient readers recognise confusion and take action: re-reading difficult passages, slowing down, looking up unfamiliar vocabulary, or seeking clarification. Struggling readers often continue reading despite confusion, unaware that comprehension has failed. Teachers can develop monitoring skills by asking students to mark confusing passages, explain what made sections difficult, and describe strategies they used to repair understanding. This meta-cognitive awareness separates strong from weak readers.

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Alternatives to Technology-Based Reading Programs

Whilst adaptive software like Reading Plus offers benefits, schools should consider whether similar gains might be achieved through evidence-based classroom practices: explicit comprehension strategy instruction, wide reading of high-interest texts, vocabulary development through rich discussion, and small-group interventions targeting specific skill gaps.

One alternative approach involves structured read-alouds where teachers model fluent reading whilst students follow along in texts. This method exposes students to mature reading patterns, builds vocabulary in context, and allows teachers to pause for strategy instruction at authentic comprehension points. Research by Timothy Shanahan indicates that read-alouds particularly benefit struggling readers who lack fluent decoding, as they can access complex ideas and sophisticated vocabulary without decoding barriers.

Paired reading partners students with slightly more proficient peers for supported oral reading practice. The more fluent reader reads first, modelling appropriate pace and expression. The less fluent reader then reads the same passage, receiving immediate support when encountering difficult words. This peer-mediated approach provides intensive practice time that teachers alone cannot offer, whilst building reading community. Studies show paired reading produces significant gains in both fluency and comprehension when implemented consistently.

Wide independent reading of self-selected texts allows students to develop automaticity, build background knowledge, and discover reading motivation. Research by Richard Allington emphasises volume: students who read substantially more words per year make larger gains than those completing worksheets or skills drills. Schools can support wide reading through well-stocked classroom libraries organised by interest and reading level, dedicated independent reading time, and teacher-student conferences discussing books. Crucially, students must read texts they can decode with 95 per cent accuracy; frustration-level texts do not build fluency.

Explicit vocabulary instruction provides another high-impact alternative. Reading comprehension depends heavily on word knowledge; students who understand 95 per cent of words in a text can comprehend it, whilst those understanding fewer than 90 per cent cannot. Effective vocabulary instruction involves selecting tier two words (high-utility academic vocabulary), providing student-friendly definitions, engaging students in using words across contexts, and reviewing words over time. This approach builds the word knowledge that supports both Reading Plus success and reading in general.

Small-group targeted interventions address specific skill gaps identified through assessment. Rather than one-size-fits-all software, teachers can form flexible groups focused on particular needs: phonics patterns, fluency, vocabulary, or comprehension strategies. These groups meet for 15 to 20 minutes several times per week, receiving instruction explicitly matched to their current challenges. Research consistently shows that well-designed small-group interventions produce larger effects than whole-class or technology-only approaches, particularly when teaching is responsive to ongoing assessment.

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Conclusion

Reading Plus is a comprehensive digital reading intervention platform that offers a personalised and adaptive learning experience for students of all levels. By focusing on fluency, comprehension, and stamina, it aims to cultivate confident and capable readers. While it's not a magic bullet, and considerations like cost and implementation time are important, the potential for accelerated reading growth makes it a tool worth considering, especially for schools seeking to support struggling readers or differentiate instruction effectively.

Ultimately, the success of Reading Plus hinges on thoughtful implementation, ongoing monitoring, and integration with other literacy initiatives. When used strategically, it can be a valuable asset in developing a love of reading and helping students to achieve their full literacy potential.

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Further Reading