Massey University Early Literacy Research Project

Researchers from Massey University carried out a longitudinal research project aimed at improving the literacy outcomes of new entrant children during, and beyond, their first year of school. Through a series of training workshops and associated materials, teachers were assisted to identify and respond to the specific literacy needs of children. The workshops provided teachers with the knowledge and skills to adopt explicit and systematic word-decoding teaching strategies in their literacy instruction. Effective word decoding skills are a necessary requirement for success in learning to read.

Authors: James W. Chapman, Alison W. Arrow, Christine Braid, Keith T. Greaney, and William E. Tunmer, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, Massey University.

List of Milestone Reports:

Date of paper

Title 
November 2014 Enhancing Literacy Learning Outcomes for Year 1 Children [PDF, 2 MB]
December 2014 Enhancing Literacy Learning Outcomes for Year 1 Children - Milestone Report 2 [PDF, 1.7 MB] 
June 2015 Early Literacy Research Project - Milestone Report 3 [PDF, 2.7 MB]
August 2015 Early Literacy Research Project - Survey of Teacher Literacy Knowledge and Efficacy - A Report of Findings for the Ministry of Education [PDF, 2.1 MB]
September 2015 Early Literacy Research Project - Time 1 Assessments of Children's Literacy Skills - A Report of Findings for the Ministry of Education [PDF, 1 MB]
October 2015 Early Literacy Research Project - Time 2 Assessments of Children's Literacy Skills - A Report of Findings for the Ministry of Education [PDF, 1.1 MB]
May 2016 Early Literacy Research Project - Report to the New Zealand Ministry of Education for Year 1 (2015) Phase [PDF, 1.6 MB] 
June 2016 Early Literacy Research Project - Report to the New Zealand Ministry of Education - Operational Milestone Report June 2016 [PDF, 2 MB]
February 2017 Early Literacy Research Project - Report to the New Zealand Ministry of Education - Operational Milestone Report February 2017 [PDF, 1.3 MB]
June 2017 Early Literacy Research Project - Report to the New Zealand Ministry of Education - Operational Milestone Report June 2017 [PDF, 1.1 MB]
February 2018 Early Literacy Research Project - Final Report to the New Zealand Ministry of Education(external link)1
February 2018 Early Literacy Research Project - Implementation Report for the New Zealand Ministry of Education [PDF, 1.9 MB]
June 2018 Enhancing Literacy Learning Outcomes for Beginning Readers: Research Results and Teaching Strategies(external link)2


1, 2  - The final reports are also hosted on Education Counts(external link). 

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