What happens to reading progress in New Zealand Year 7-8 classes? The plateau, literacy leadership and the remaining tail

A dip or plateau in students' literacy learning progress is reported internationally to occur between the ages of 9 and 13. In New Zealand, concerns are raised in the media and in political debate about the underachievement of children in terms of literacy. In particular, it is frequently cited that 20 percent are failing in reading. The most recent NEMP Report (Crooks, Smith & Flockton, 2009) indicates little or no improvement statistically in reading achievement, despite extensive funding of professional development during the last four years in many schools. This discussion is grounded in a research study, funded by the Cognition Education Research Trust, which examined school practice in teaching reading in Years 7 and 8. It briefly reports the findings, discusses the nature and causes of the dip, and offers an emerging theorisation of factors that lead to successful reading development. There is a growing body of research evidence internationally (Brozo, Shiel & Topping, 2007; Farstrup, 2005; Hattie, 2007) to support the proposition that reading progress drops off as students move through the schooling system and that reading is often not effectively taught at the 9- to 13-year-old age level. For example, recent research in New Zealand (Hattie, 2007; McNaughton, Amituanai-Toloa & Lei, 2007) indicates that thereappears to be a tapering off or plateauing of progress in reading for a significant number of students in low socio-economic schools, despite successful interventions at an earlier level.