Reading with AI Research Project in Northern Ireland

“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.”

Paul Givan, Education Minister, Northern Ireland

Who to contact?

Frequently Asked Questions

GENERAL

• Who is conducting the study?

  The research study is a partnership between the Department of Education, Oxford Brookes University and Hamilton Brookes, and Amira Learning.

  Oxford Brookes University is one of the UK’s leading research and teaching institutions - with a highly regarded teacher training and professional development offer.

  Hamilton Brookes is a trusted name in primary education, part of Oxford Brookes University- and is ideally placed to lead this work, delivering high quality training and curriculum-aligned support to schools.

  Amira Learning, used by over 4 million students globally, provides a research-backed AI reading tutor designed to improve literacy outcomes through real-time feedback and structured practice.

• Would there have to be 3 separate 10-15 minute sessions per week or could you facilitate a single 45 minutes session per week? Just thinking about ICT suite availability and device availability etc.

  Each child should spend 10-15 mins in any one sitting using Amira.

  It is not recommended that these sessions are rolled up into one long session where one child is using Amira for 45mins. There are three reasons for this:

  • To ensure fidelity and equity across the study, it is important that all schools follow a similar approach.
  • The texts and activities that Amira presents are part of wider engagement in reading, including Reading for Pleasure and other strategies.
  • Previous research into Amira shows diminishing returns from longer sessions.

• Why shouldn't the sessions be run from home? Practicalities of three sessions per week across large classes/year groups may be difficult.

  To ensure fidelity in the research, it is important to reduce the variability of delivery and dosage - and while Amira could be used outside of school - for the purposes of this Department for Education funded project, it’s important that this doesn’t happen during the first 6 months of the study.
  

  Support and guidance for leaders in arranging the study in schools (especially in large / secondary schools) will be provided by Oxford Brookes and St Mary’s via the ‘Amira Champions’.
  

• I teach in a secondary school. Does it have to be all Y8 students? That would be 160 in my case.

  It’s your choice. Some schools might prefer to include all classes (for ease of communication and management of children) - where others might prefer to limit the study to a smaller group. There is no requirement or preference from the research or policy teams in this decision - it sits with the school leaders to decide. That said, Oxford Brookes and St Mary’s can provide support and guidance in this area.

• Is it a whole class approach or for children?

  Each child sits and reads with Amira - so it is an individual approach in using the software.

  That said, this study is for all children in selected schools/classrooms - not for a subset of the class. This inclusive approach is key to the research design.

THE RESEARCH

• How will schools be selected to take part?

  For the purposes of this study, 15,000 students in the targeted year groups will take part. Schools will be selected to ensure a broad and representative sample across region, school type, size, and pupil demographic.

• Are we being tested? What’s being researched?

  No! Schools, the staff and pupils are not being assessed in this research.
  
  The research study is specifically exploring how much impact Amira Learning has on the Reading progress children make, in selected year groups.

• Why all the limitations on amounts of time on Amira, which year groups, etc?

  Fidelity to the research design is a bit like taking medicines in the way a medical doctor advises. To know if it’s having the expected impact, it is really important for all schools to do the same things, in the same ways - during the study.
  
  Amira is like medicine and the ‘dosage’ - or the amount each child gets - needs to be the same for proper comparisons to be made.

  It’s also why Amira should not be used out of school (i.e. as ‘homework’) or for longer than 15 minutes a day for each child.

• How long is the study?

  The research phase will take 6 months to complete - and schools will keep access to Amira Learning until the end of the academic year, so that all children in the selected schools can benefit from the service.

  During the research phase, fidelity and consistency will be extremely important.

• What happens in the Control group schools?

  A small set of schools will be selected as the control group. These are essential to the research study design. Children will take the same baseline assessment in the Autumn, but will not get a ‘dosage’ of Amira in regular use through the 6 months of the study. However, they will be able to use Amira after the study, until the end of the academic year.

• Which pupils will take part in the research?

  All students in P3, P5, P7 and Y8 in participating schools will use Amira Learning as part of the research project. For the purposes of this research project, there is no provision for other year groups.

• Will we need to stop using our phonics programme?

  No. Amira is designed to complement, not replace, your current phonics programme. It reinforces and extends phonics skills through additional practice, assessment, and targeted support—particularly useful for learners needing extra help.

• How does Amira ensure student data privacy in Northern Ireland?

  Amira complies with UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018.

• Will parents and carers be informed?

  We will provide selected schools with a letter to inform P3, P5, P7 and Y8 parents and carers about the project.

• We don’t have many headsets or devices, can my school still take part?

  All selected schools will be supported in all aspects of the technological setup and a comprehensive audit will ensure that participating schools have everything they need to run Amira successfully.

  Lack of headsets will not exclude a school from being selected. Support will be available to help schools participate effectively regardless of equipment levels.

• Will teachers receive training?

  All P3, P5, P7 and Y8 class teachers will attend a free training session which will ensure a comprehensive understanding of how to run Amira in their classroom, including supportive guidance on how to timetable student reading sessions. There will be a selection of session times so teachers can select the most convenient option, but attendance at this training is compulsory for all P3, P5, P7 and Y8 class teachers in participating schools.

  Each participating school will nominate a project lead (known as an ‘Amira Champion’) who will be the in-school contact point for all communications. All Amira Champions will attend monthly check-ins to provide feedback and guidance throughout the project with takeaway enhanced practice training materials that can be passed on to class teachers.

• Will this create extra work for teachers?

  No! In fact, Amira is designed to reduce teacher workload by providing automatic assessments, personalised reading practice for pupils, and ready-made reports that support curriculum planning and SEN review. Teachers will receive all necessary training and support, including technological setup.

• Can we use Amira in the other classes and with other children?

  No - this study, and the data it will generate, needs to conform to the research design and the limitations set by the Department for Education. While we understand that there will be significant interest from colleagues, especially if there is impact on learning, during 2025/26 - we ask that schools taking part in the study respect the limitations, so that the findings can inform public policy and professional practice across Northern Ireland.

• We are a multi-form / mixed year school. Do we include all classes?

  We suggest that all children in a class are part of the study, and that - for communication with parents and colleagues - it is easier and more equitable for all classes to take part in a year group. If you have mixed year groups, it will be important for only the selected year groups to have access to Amira - so leaders will need to decide if this causes classroom management issues. Of course, each school leader will need to review how best to implement this in their setting, and advice will be given to those seeking to establish the study in their school.

• What is the Science of Reading?

  The Science of Reading is a body of interdisciplinary research that explains how children learn to read. It emphasises:

  • Systematic phonics and decoding
  • Phonemic awareness
  • Vocabulary development
  • Fluency
  • Comprehension.

  The Science of Reading is NOT a solution to all aspects of Reading - or a product. It is an evolving and dynamic approach to the teaching of Reading that supports professionals in their daily practice.

  Amira is fully aligned with this model, supporting Northern Ireland’s move away from guessing strategies (e.g. cueing) and toward structured, evidence-based literacy instruction.

• What happens after the project?

  The end of the trial period will be marked by a celebration event to share success stories and collective learning.

  Schools will be regularly updated of the progress of the research project and there will be opportunities for schools to feature in case studies. Oxford Brookes University will publish a full report, evaluating the impact of Amira Learning in participating schools.

• What sort of data / insights will be provided after the pupils complete a session?

  Kindly access the link provided here.

• Do you still teach guided reading in the usual way with a school scheme?

  Schools taking part in this study shouldn’t have to change anything else in their practice - unless it’s part of planned strategic changes. The study is not evaluating your literacy policy or practice and Amira complements your daily practice.
  
  That said, it’s worth noting that Amira can help enable positive change.

  There’s a shift away from traditional small-group guided reading toward whole-class guided reading. This approach gives teachers more time with all students, allows for deeper exploration of texts, and reduces the planning burden. Differentiation still happens, but within a shared text. Many schools are moving in this direction rather than running multiple small groups, which can be time-consuming and less effective.

• Is there any further information on how the programme collects its data? Is it able to identify inaccurate and inefficient decoding and pinpoint an inaccurate grapheme/ phoneme correspondence-particularly as this programme can be used from P3. Can it be used to help flag up signs of dyslexia?

  The research study will be evaluating the efficacy of Amira in NI - AND it's got excellent impact evidence of impact - including for dyslexia - elsewhere. There is far more here about Amira as a Dyslexia Screener.

  Amira 'listens' at a very detailed level - and gets better at understanding each child and their mistakes/progress.

  In terms of detailed analysis - it's where the power of the technology wins, as it can both listen for understanding and comprehension AND do the sort of pinpointing she raises. There is more here.

AMIRA-SPECIFIC QUESTIONS

• What is Amira Learning?

  Amira Learning is an AI-powered reading tutor that listens to children read aloud, assesses their fluency and comprehension, and provides real-time, personalised coaching. For teachers, Amira offers detailed insights into each pupil’s reading strengths and areas for development—at both the individual and class level.

  Amira supports the Northern Ireland Curriculum by developing key elements of the Communication Cross-Curricular Skill, including fluency, accuracy, vocabulary, comprehension, and expression. It aligns with the Levels of Progression in Communication (Reading) used at the end of Key Stages 1, 2, and 3.

• How does Amira support the Science of Reading?

  Amira is grounded in the Science of Reading, drawing on decades of research in cognitive science, linguistics, and education. It focuses on five key pillars of reading development:

  • Phonemic Awareness
  • Phonics
  • Fluency
  • Vocabulary
  • Comprehension.

• Is there evidence that Amira improves reading outcomes?

  Yes. Independent research in other countries - including randomise controlled trials - has shown that students using Amira make up to twice the expected progress. Reported effect sizes range from 0.42 to 1.27, with the strongest gains in reading fluency and decoding, both of which are central to the Department of Education’s cross-cutting priorities for literacy improvement and curriculum alignment in Northern Ireland.

  This study will test the efficacy of Amira in schools in Northern Ireland and - whatever the result - will be published alongside other findings from international studies

• How is Amira aligned with Levels of Progression (LoP)?

  Amira supports the Levels of Progression in Communication (Reading) at KS1, KS2 and KS3, offering teachers valuable data that aligns with curriculum outcomes. It helps track pupil attainment in understanding meaning, engaging with texts, reading for information, and fluency and decoding.

  While the Amira dashboards do not directly reference the Northern Ireland curriculum and terminology - schools will receive support to interpret any data.

  Amira’s adaptive feedback and detailed reports can support teacher judgements and intervention planning across all phases of education.

• How does Amira address key literacy challenges in Northern Ireland?

  Amira directly supports several identified priorities from NI research and inspection reports:

  • Early identification of reading difficulties through its built-in dyslexia screener.
  • Structured, phonics-based instruction, alongside the breadth of reading skills.
  • Replacing outdated and discredited strategies - ie cueing.
  • Equity in literacy outcomes, with data and feedback tailored to the needs of each pupil, supporting schools in addressing socio-economic and SEN-related gaps.
  • These features align with the Department of Education’s cross-cutting reform agenda, which aims to raise literacy standards through evidence-based practice and inclusive approaches.

• How should Amira be used in the classroom?

  The research study requires that all participating students read with Amira for 10-15 minutes, 3 times a week. Full support will be provided to help class teachers facilitate this in the most convenient way possible.

  While it might seem tempting to allow children to spend more time on Amira, it is important to keep to the research design - and do not increase the dosage.

• How does Amira support progress monitoring?

  Amira complements universal screeners used in NI primary and post-primary schools by:

  • Analysing skill gaps after baseline assessments.
  • Delivering targeted, AI-powered reading practice with personalised interventions based on the Science of Reading.
  • Offering real-time feedback aligned to individual pupil needs.

  Amira strengthens intervention strategies based on initial screening, particularly useful in SEN and literacy support contexts.

• How often will students be assessed with Amira?

  After the first week of usage, a benchmark assessment will be carried out using Amira. This allows for a clear understanding of each pupil’s reading level and progress. A similar assessment will also take place at the end of the data collection period. Regular use of Amira also enables ongoing formative assessment, which supports planning and timely intervention.

• How does Amira assess comprehension?

  Amira uses interactive, evidence-based approaches to assess comprehension, including:

  • “Show They Know” prompts that ask pupils to explain their understanding
  • Compare-and-contrast questions to encourage critical thinking
  • Socratic-style dialogues guided by generative AI
  • Neuroscience-based interventions such as cognitive flexibility training (GSF) to support pupils with reading comprehension difficulties.

  These methods develop active reading strategies and deeper engagement with text.

• Does Amira support students with dyslexia?

  Yes. Amira includes a built-in dyslexia screener and provides structured, phonics-based support tailored to individual needs.

  Amira is especially effective for supporting decoding, fluency, and comprehension in pupils with literacy difficulties.—a method where children are taught to guess words using semantic (context), syntactic (grammar), and graphophonic (sound-letter) cues. Cueing has been phased out of official NI literacy guidance due to its weak evidence base.

• Is Amira replacing teachers or learning support assistants?

  Absolutely not. Amira is a support tool, not a replacement for teachers or school staff or expert teams.

  Amira enhances the excellent teaching already taking place by offering additional personalised practice and generating detailed diagnostic data that helps inform planning and targeted support. Teachers who have used Amira internationally often report that it frees them up to focus on deeper instruction, small-group teaching, and meaningful intervention.

  Amira supports and strengthens professional judgement—not replaces it. It is most effective when used alongside skilled, teacher-led instruction and complements the expertise that educators bring to the classroom every day.

• What hardware is needed? Do you provide this?

  Concerns about access to devices and infrastructure should not stop schools from applying.

  Testing in the EA Test Centre has shown that the tool will work on the school infrastructure currently in place. Logging in and setting pupils up on Amira will be supported by Amira, colleagues at the EA, and Oxford Brookes University.

  Amira works successfully in thousands of busy classrooms around the world, many without headsets.

  The expression of interest form asks about access to devices and number of headsets the schools currently have and as that information becomes available the Department of Education will work with schools to ensure they can participate in the research fully if selected.

  Here are more details on the technical requirements

• Do pupils need headsets with a microphone incorporated?

  Headsets are not required provided that the children using Amira in the same room are seated at least an arms length away from each other. We recommend students sitting on different sides of a table, like compass points, if possible. If this is not possible, Amira is designed to pick up the voice closest to the computer.

  However, if headsets are being used, we recommend headsets without a mute button, and with a USB connector.