Reading for meaning: reciprocal reading for struggling readers in KS3

INTERVENTION: The Reciprocal Reading Secondary program study will be a Phase 3 definitive RCT. Students will be randomized to condition at the individual pupil level, using a mixture of pairing and minimisation during randomization to ensure equal numbers of intervention and control students in each arm of the trial within each of the 20 schools, complemented by a process evaluation. The study will primarily look at the effect of the Reciprocal Reading Secondary program on the reading comprehension and reading ability of students in high schools. Pre and post‐test measures of the students in 20 schools will assess the effectiveness of the Reciprocal Reading Secondary program in optimal conditions on a larger scale than previously used in high schools in England. Treatment group ‐ Receive intervention weekly, one 30 minute session, over two terms. Control group ‐ continue with business as usual Randomisation tool ‐ Random Number Generator for iPhone version 5.0 by Nicolas Dean CONDITION: Reciprocal reading for struggling readers ; Not Applicable PRIMARY OUTCOME: Reading comprehension ability measured using an online standardised reading test, New Group Reading Test from GL‐Assessment, to be taken at baseline and after 6 months. SECONDARY OUTCOME: Reading comprehension ability measured using an online reading test, Access Reading Test from RS Assessment, Hodder Education, with four subscales and a combined reading raw score, to be taken at baseline and after 6 months. INCLUSION CRITERIA: 1. Students in Year 7 (11‐12 year olds), from 20 schools in England. 2. From state‐funded schools, who identify as comprehensive or high schools, from areas of economic‐disadvantage, with the overall sample of schools being above the national average using the poverty indicator used in England (DfE, 2019a) of Free School Meals (FSM Ever).