An Examination of Preschool Teachers' Shared Book Reading Practices in Spanish: Before and After Instructional Guidance

Abstract

Shared book reading is a prominent practice in preschools; however, limited research has examined this practice in classrooms with English language learners (ELLs). This study investigated the shared book reading practices of seven preschool teachers of Spanish-speaking ELLs to describe their vocabulary instructional practices before and after receiving instructional guidance (i.e., curriculum implementation, distributed professional development, and instructional cues). Teachers implemented 75 fifteen-min daily structured shared book reading vocabulary sessions for 15 weeks. In addition, they participated in professional development prior to and at two points during the curriculum implementation. To document instructional practices, teachers were observed three times: without and with an instructional cue prior to curriculum implementation and once with a cue at postintervention. Because some preschool teachers may require more intensive guidance than others to improve vocabulary instruction, professional development models must adjust and distribute support more responsively. Implications for future practice and research are discussed.