OxEd and Assessment

Oral language is critical for all aspects of the development of literacy, as well as for the whole of formal education.

This week, our co-founder shares why oral language matters so much on the latest episode of International Dyslexia Association Ontario's Reading Road Trip podcast 🛣️

Charles chatted with host Kate Winn about practical ways educators can assess and support oral language development, the importance of rich conversations and structured language instruction, and the connections between oral language difficulties and dyslexia.

A must-listen for educators 🎧

Tune in here: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0xsnjz0

Following the recent positive findings of the NELI Preschool Effectiveness Trial, NELI Preschool has been recognised by the Education Endowment Foundation as a Promising Programme 🌟

This recognition reflects NELI Preschool's strong impact, low cost, high-quality implementation, and robust evidence base. Only 10% of programmes evaluated by the EEF achieve this status, and we're proud to be one of them 🎉

Read more: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0x80h90

The kind of Special Words (vocab) we hope you enjoy over the coming months 😎

Wherever you are in the school calendar, whether you are just starting your break or coming towards the end of it, whether it's a summer break or winter break, wishing educators everywhere a happy, restful time! 💛

July is the month of our summer company get-together ☀️

Twice a year, we get together in person to reflect on everything we've been working on and chat about what's coming next.

This month, we had a great time in sunny Oxford catching up face-to-face, sharing ideas, and spending time together away from our screens. As a fully remote team, it's always nice to be in the same place (and grab a new team photo to mark the moment!) 💙

We're excited to share the findings of an independent evaluation of NELI Preschool - a 20-week programme designed to improve the oral language skills of children in nursery.

These findings are a result of one of the largest early years evaluations ever undertaken: the NELI Preschool Effectiveness Trial.

The evaluation showed that NELI Preschool has a positive impact on children’s oral language development, with children who took part in the programme gaining 2 months’ additional progress in oral language skills 🙌

Other key findings:
📈 Positive impact was consistent for all children, including children eligible for Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) and children with English as an Additional Language (EAL)

🗣️ The programme was particularly effective at improving expressive language skills

💰 It was found to be affordable to implement, receiving a 'low cost' rating from the Education Endowment Foundation

Read the full findings → https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wZr9z0

OxEd served as the delivery partners of the NELI Preschool effectiveness trial, funded by the Education Endowment Foundation and Department for Education Stronger Practice Hubs, and independently evaluated by the National Foundation for Educational Research

Thank you to the thousands of early years educators who have taken part in EEF research.

Because of your time, expertise, and commitment, we're learning more about what helps young children thrive.

Today, we're publishing three new independent evaluations, with NELI Preschool, evaluated by National Foundation for Educational Research and delivered with OxEd and Assessment, Talking Time, evaluated by the NIESR and delivered with University of Oxford, and Emotion Coaching, evaluated by the National Centre for Social Research, all designated as Promising Programmes.

Since 2022, more than 3,700 settings have taken part in EEF trials and studies. Together, we’ve helped build the evidence available to the sector, giving settings greater confidence when choosing approaches for children.

Find out more: https://ow.ly/CRF750ZnpKe

Twice a year, we come together to explore and reflect on the latest research into oral language and literacy. We call it our research retreat.

The day is designed to expand our knowledge, uncover different ways of thinking, and encourage discussion.

And last week, we were lucky enough to be joined by some incredibly talented and knowledgeable colleagues from across education in Oxford.

Some highlights:
→ Emma Hayiou-Thomas, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at University of York, gave a genetic perspective on the overlap between Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and dyslexia
→ Cameron Downing, fellow lecturer at University of York and member of the CAL:ON Cymru team, gave an overview of the project's research findings and progress
→ Jessie Ricketts, Professor of Psychology at Royal Holloway, University of London took us through the research, practice and policy related to reading in secondary schools

Huge thanks to all the speakers who joined and made the day so insightful 🙌

Looking to encourage children to keep reading in the summer holidays? The Summer Reading Challenge is your answer 📚

Run by The Reading Agency, and launching in England tomorrow, it's a great (and free!) way to access and enjoy books over the summer.

Children set a reading goal and collect rewards for reading anything they enjoy. This year's challenge is Read to the Beat - inspiring children to explore the connection between stories and songs 🎵

If you want to take part, you can sign up at your local library or online: https://eu1.hubs.ly/H0wzNZz0