Achieve3000

Intervention description

Achieve3000 is a family of online literacy interventions that aims to improve reading, writing and critical thinking for pupils from primary school age to post-16 education. It involves all pupils in a class engaging with non-fiction texts about a particular issue each day, with the level of the text pitched differently for each pupil according to their literacy level. The interventions are KidzBiz3000 for Key Stage 2, TeenBiz3000 for Key Stage 3, and Empower3000 for Key Stage 4 and beyond.

All Achieve3000 interventions use a daily 5-step literacy routine: first, pupils receive an email which introduces the day’s topic and encourages them to use prior knowledge; then, pupils derive information from non-fiction articles differentiated to their level; next, pupils demonstrate close reading of the text by responding to questions; then, pupils participate in a poll and discussion to express their opinions on the day’s reading; and lastly, pupils take part in a critical thinking activity which can lead to a focused writing task. Prior to using Achieve3000, pupils take a test to establish a baseline level, which is used to set the non-fiction passages they read at an appropriate level. Pupils complete regular assessments throughout the year to measure their ability to comprehend informational text.

Staffing requirements

The providers recommend selecting a designated Achieve3000 coordinator within school staff.

Professional development/training

Key staff are trained by a consultant at the start and after four weeks. Further roll out is then available to extended groups and staff.

Technology

Suitable for schools with differing levels of technology

Evidence Summary

The Best Evidence Encyclopaedia found that Achieve3000 had a positive impact on secondary reading. The study found an overall effect size of +0.29.

Key research

The Best Evidence Encyclopaedia secondary reading review published in 2016 reported that Achieve3000 had a positive impact on reading in Key Stage 3.

http://www.bestevidence.org/word/Secondary-Reading-08-03-17.pdf

Shannon and Grant (2015) found that Achieve3000 users made significant gains during the school year and performed better than pupils using the traditional curriculum. The study also found variation in the impact of the Achieve3000 solutions at grade level and further studies would benefit from increased sample sizes.

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED563449