Education Minister Paul Givan has today announced a new major research study to evaluate how AI tools can support literacy among disadvantaged pupils and those with Special Educational Needs.
The research project is one of seven cross-cutting initiatives recently announced under the RAISE Programme to be delivered in the 25/26 academic years.
Paul Givan said: “Today I am announcing a new and innovative active research project. In partnership with Oxford Brookes University, more than 15,000 pupils will have the opportunity to use an AI-powered reading tutor over a 12-month period, generating robust evidence to inform national literacy policy and support data-informed teaching in the classroom.
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"This is one of seven cross-cutting initiatives which complement community informed projects as well as to inform broader approaches to tackling educational disadvantage. The research will assess the effectiveness of evidence-based AI literacy tools in improving reading outcomes.”
The study will take place in the 2025/26 academic year and will compare reading outcomes for two groups of pupils with similar levels of reading ability and other demographics. One group will use an AI tool provided by Amira Learning and the other will follow standard classroom approaches.
The research methodology includes continuous monitoring and data collection to evaluate effectiveness. Teachers will receive face to face and online training from Oxford Brookes University to support teachers to interpret assessment data through detailed reports, enabling them to identify struggling readers and then implement individualised, evidence-based, targeted interventions aligned with the Science of Reading. This comprehensive approach supports Northern Ireland's ongoing shift toward evidence-based tools making a positive impact on reading outcomes while providing data-driven insights to inform both classroom practices and broader educational policy decisions.
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The Education Minister concluded: “Literacy is core to allowing pupils to access knowledge and all areas of learning within the curriculum. It is the key to unlocking the curriculum and a love for learning. I am looking forward to the outcomes of this research project and how these can inform my Department’s policy going forward.”
Further information on the RAISE Reading with AI Research Project can be found here - https://www.education-ni.gov.uk/articles/reading-ai-research-project
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