We have seen an enormous improvement in not only the reading ages of our students but also their enjoyment of and enthusiasm for reading. Many teachers have commented on the increased confidence these students display when reading aloud in class and contributing to group discussions.
Students are becoming equipped with the tools needed to be independent readers; gaps in their reading knowledge are being explicitly addressed; they get to practise reading texts that are absolutely accessible to them and they are visibly more confident as a result. It's like they are suddenly able to unlock a code and it's brilliant to see.