FiLBY-2 – a reading fluency training for all students?

Effects of FiLBY-2

Abstract

The latest IGLU and PISA studies show that Germany has not succeeded in significantly reducing the unfavorable link between reading performance and social background over the past 20 years. In reading instruction, it is primarily the stronger readers who benefit, while the gap between them and the weaker students widens over the school years. Using a sample of 8,859 elementary school children, this paper examines the extent to which the FiLBY-2 reading training program succeeds in supporting different groups of students in such a way as to minimize a widening achievement gap. The analyses conducted show that all children benefit from the program in terms of their reading fluency, especially the group of weaker readers. An advantage of the FiLBY group remains even after controlling for gender, migration background, and educational background. The results allow for implications for teaching practice, which will be discussed subsequently.