A UK-focused Review of Reading Interventions for Struggling Readers in Key Stage 2

Struggling readers in later primary years (Key Stage 2 in the UK) face difficulties beyond basic word recognition, including advanced comprehension skills like understanding inferences and complex sentence structures. This shift from 'learning to read' to 'reading to learn' can lead to persistent or late-emerging reading difficulties, with 27% of UK children leaving primary school below their age-expected reading level. Effective, age-appropriate support is crucial given the impact of poor reading on academic success.

Most existing reviews on reading support for struggling primary school-aged readers are US-centric. While English is shared, pedagogical approaches, reading practices, and the age children start formal reading instruction differ significantly between the US and UK. For instance, the UK emphasizes systematic synthetic phonics from age 4-5, unlike the broader range of approaches in the US. These national differences, including access to reading programs and background knowledge, necessitate UK-specific research to ensure effective knowledge mobilization and intervention implementation tailored to the local context.

This review is the first to map and summarize research on reading interventions for struggling KS2 readers in the UK. It found that most interventions, regardless of intensity, duration, delivery, or target skills, generally improved reading skills. However, support primarily targets younger KS2 ages, despite a need for consistent provision across all KS2 years. The review highlights the need for more robust research to understand the impact of intervention intensity, group size, and delivery methods, and emphasizes that understanding how reading theory translates to diverse local practices is vital for improving reading instruction internationally.