I recently completed a Davis Programme with a young girl who made progress. She worked hard, focused, calm, and proud of herself by the end of the day.
After our session, her mother invited me to visit their school. When I met the principal and heard the transformation, she said something that stayed with me:
“I’d like to train ALL our teachers in this method.”
It reminded me of Edgecumbe School, where I’d recently been involved in a Davis Learning Strategies (DLS) whole-staff training. More and more schools are reaching out—curious about what’s possible.
Moments like these keep reinforcing what I’ve come to believe:
The Davis Learning Strategies might just be the missing piece for supporting our at-risk learners and lifting achievement across the board.
Why Davis Learning Strategies Matter:
A Tier Two Literacy Support That Builds Bridges
Davis Learning Strategies provides learners—particularly those with dyslexic traits—with tools that help them focus, self-regulate, and better understand what they’re reading.
But DLS is more than just an intervention. It acts as a bridge between general classroom instruction and the specific needs of students who think in pictures or process information differently.
In a recent survey of New Zealand schools using DLS:
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89% of teachers noticed improved student focus
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66% reported that students were much calmer
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52% observed a clear positive impact on learning
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100% said DLS changed their own teaching practices
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75% found the strategies highly effective
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65% highlighted the clay modelling element as especially impactful
These outcomes speak volumes. The strategies not only help children stay grounded and reduce anxiety, but they also enable real and lasting progress in reading, especially for visual and right-brained learners.
From Trials to Transformation:
What Schools Are Experiencing
At Waihao Downs School, Davis Learning Strategies were first trialled in 2011 with students reading below standard.
📊 Within just six months, 86% of students made accelerated progress.
By 2015, the Education Review Office (ERO) reported:
“This is positively supporting students’ increased engagement… Students are progressing and achieving highly in reading.”
The transformation didn’t end there. By 2017, students were also achieving strongly in numeracy. Principal Jane Severinsen reflected:
“This is a reflection of the Davis Learning Strategies being embedded within the culture of our school across all curriculum areas.”
Insights from Jane Severinsen’s Sabbatical Study (2018)
Jane took her exploration further by visiting other schools across Aotearoa. She wanted to see how Davis Learning Strategies were being implemented in a range of settings.
Here’s what stood out in her findings:
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All targeted students made progress in reading
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65% of those previously below standard reached the benchmark within six months
- Priority learners—including Māori, low socio-economic, and those with dyslexic traits—showed significant improvement
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Students developed better self-regulation and ownership of learning
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Teachers noticed calmer classrooms and a more positive learning environment
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The greatest success was seen in schools that fully implemented all aspects of DLS with ongoing mentor support
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DLS proved flexible, working well both as a stand-alone and alongside existing programmes
Her research affirmed that when schools commit to this approach, the transformation can be deep and wide-reaching.
If you’re a principal, teacher, or SENCO, I invite you to consider:
What if Davis Learning Strategies could unlock new potential for your students—not just in reading, but in how they experience learning as a whole?
We now have data. We have stories. And we have a growing number of schools showing what’s possible. It’s time to:
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Start conversations within your school community
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Share stories and insights
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Offer access to the full report for those who want to dive deeper
Could Davis Learning Strategies be the puzzle piece your school has been missing?