A Quantitative Study of the Impact of Imagine Learning on English Learner's English and Reading Proficiency

Abstract

Reading on grade level by the close of third grade has been shown to impact a student’s chance to graduate on time and therefore impacting future success. English learners (ELs), however, have struggled to read on grade level by the close of third grade as compared to their English-speaking peers. This quasi-experimental study determined if an adaptive software intervention program, Imagine Learning Language and Literacy (IL), implemented in a Midwestern urban school district, resulted in higher levels of English language proficiency and reading achievement for those third grade ELs who utilized the intervention. Split plot ANOVA and t-tests were employed in examining the impact IL had on ELs English language proficiency, as well as reading proficiency. T-tests and split-plot ANOVA determined that IL had a significant impact on ELs’ English proficiency as determined by performance on their first and third grade English language proficiency reading scores; yet there was not a significant impact between the experimental and control groups. Furthermore, the findings determined that utilizing Imagine Learning had no impact on ELs’ third grade state assessment reading scores. However, there were contributing factors impacting the results of the study.