Programme authenticated

International research validates AVAILLL

The AVAILLL programme has been researched in eight studies over a period of six years and peer reviewed by independent analysis.

The first two quasi-experimental studies* led by the teacher/developer took place in the United States with fourteen-year-olds and included substantial subgroups of special education, ESL and minority students.

The raw data was taken to a peer review committee at New Zealand’s University of Canterbury — a country highly regarded in the field of literacy education. There, an independent peer review committee analysed the original quantitative and qualitative raw data. The committee not only confirmed the results of the previous research but proposed cooperative research on a larger scale in New Zealand.


AVAILLL research projects and analysis


  • Literacy Forum NZ

    Does viewing movies with subtitles count as reading? Dr Ronnie Davey and Faye Parkhill. New Zealand Literacy Association. Dec 2015 ...download

  • Pacific-Asian Journal

    The Hawke’s Bay Years 5 and 6 Study. Reading while viewing: the impact of movie subtitles as a strategy to raise
    achievement in comprehension and vocabulary for Māori and Pasifika
    students. 2014. ...download

  • Darfield School study

    “AVAILLL: Does it Avail itself for all teachers and all children in literacy?” Alan. M Fielding, 2014 ...download

  • A.L.E.A article

    ‘I used to read one page in two
    minutes and now I am reading
    ten’: Using popular film subtitles
    to enhance literacy outcomes’. Parkhill and Davey, University of Canterbury, June 2014. ...download

  • Wesley College Y9 Report

    Implementing AVAILLL at Wesley College. Colin Webster and Annie Sio Tima, 2012 ...download

  • English in Aotearoa study

    Raising Adolescent Reading Achievement. Dr Ronnie Davey and Faye Parkhill. ...download

  • Practically Primary study

    We Enjoyed It and We Learned at the Same Time! Faye Parkhill and Ronnie Davey 2010 ...download

  • University of Canterbury

    Movie-based programme a boost for struggling readers’ literacy. Press release, University of Canterbury, 2008. ...download

  • Beeby Fellowship report

    Literacy and Youth Offending. Parkhill and Davey, 2012. ...download