Early Literacy Intervention Research Articles

Early Literacy Instruction and Intervention

The purpose of this paper is to describe the efficacy of early literacy interventions and to discuss possible roles for volunteer tutors in helping prevent reading difficulties within the Response to Intervention process. First, we describe a landmark study that evaluated the impact of primary classroom instruction on reducing the proportion of students at risk for reading failure, and a more recent series of studies exploring the effects of individualizing classroom reading instruction based on students' initial skills. Second, we review studies of more intensive early intervention to demonstrate how these interventions substantially reduce the proportion of students at risk. Third, we examine effective tutoring models that utilize volunteers. Finally, we discuss the potential role of community tutors in supporting primary classroom instruction and secondary interventions.

Successful engagement in an early literacy intervention

The aim of the research reported here was to investigate why a percentage of students experience continued difficulty in literacy learning while participating in Reading Recovery. It was hypothesized that this is to do with particular aspects of teacher—learner interactions. Accordingly the study used ethnographic methodology to describe teacher—learner interactions generally and to then examine selected dimensions of the interaction between particular cohorts of students and their teachers. Specifically investigated were the characteristics of this group, mapping students' learning trajectory, and identifying key points and events that impact on teacher decision-making processes with regard to student learning. The learners who participated in this study were 10 children identified as being at risk of literacy failure. Their participation in one-to-one literacy support resulted in six of the children making considerable progress, with the other four identified as requiring ongoing support beyond the short-term intervention provided by Reading Recovery. The reasons for the successful outcome for the six learners are related to the ways that their teachers orchestrated positive reading and writing opportunities through closely focused verbal support. While this `helping talk' appeared to be decisive in the six successful cases, it was productive but inadequate in the remaining four.

Collaborative Assistance in a Highly Prescribed School Reform Model: The Case of Success for All

This article focuses on how the Success for All Foundation (SFAF)—the nonprofit intermediary organization that promotes Success for All—works with educators in schools to increase capacity for learning and instruction. Success for All is a comprehensive school reform model that primarily centers on early literacy intervention. Building on research on intermediary organizations and situated learning, we examine how SFAF structures professional development and the types of relationships the organization cultivates with practitioners. At a glance, although much of the theory, strategy, and tools driving the SFAF's approach to school reform seem technically oriented and highly prescribed, our investigation indicates that the deeper process of creating knowledge for school improvement is a collaborative, situated endeavor. Moreover, the study reveals that the process of learning and professional development within the program is a result of the ongoing, dynamic interplay among the SFAF, local conditions, and the broader policy context. Implications for policy and practice are discussed.

“Read My Story!” Using the Early Authors Program to Promote Early Literacy Among Diverse, Urban Preschool Children in Poverty

This article evaluates the utility of the Early Authors Program, a 12-month early literacy intervention emphasizing highly meaningful language interactions that was implemented in childcare facilities in an ethnically and linguistically diverse, urban, low-income community. Children learn to be writers and readers by creating their own self-authored, storybook texts, supported by the sensitive guidance of adults. Children (n = 280) in 32 experimental group centers and children (n = 87) in 9 similar control group centers were individually assessed at pretest and posttest on measures of language and cognition. Teachers completed pretest and posttest surveys and interviews, and interventionists were also interviewed. 3- to 5-year-old children receiving the intervention, as predicted, made significantly greater gains than the control group specifically on the child language measures but not on other measures. The quality of the classroom literacy environment and teachers' literacy-promoting practices improved considerably in centers receiving the intervention. Teachers reported high satisfaction and sustainability for the program.

Measuring Response to Early Literacy Intervention With Preschoolers at Risk

Response to intervention (RTI) is characterized as a logical science of decision making that has applicability for early childhood, particularly in the context of multitiered intervention models. This study examined the utility of using curriculum-based early literacy measures as screening tools and for evaluating whether growth in early literacy skills was altered following brief interventions. Thirty-five preschool-age children at risk for learning difficulties participated in a 5-week intervention focused on key phonemic awareness skills delivered in classwide and individual formats. Curriculum-based measurement probes were administered each week to all children. Results showed the curriculum-based measures led to enhanced decision accuracy about children at risk for learning difficulties, particularly when combined with brief classwide interventions designed to systematically address opportunities to learn. For children who were initially low performers, weekly progress monitoring combined with classwide early literacy interventions appeared to be related to accelerated growth toward early literacy targets. Implications for the expansion of RTI decision-making frameworks in early childhood are discussed.

Evaluation of Curricular Approaches to Enhance Preschool Early Literacy Skills

Two curricula designed to enhance the early literacy skills of 4-year-old preschool children were evaluated against a third, comparison condition. Thirty-five Head Start preschool classrooms were assigned randomly to incorporate one of two early literacy curricular approaches, Let's Begin with the Letter People® or Waterford Early Reading Program® Level 1, into their current curriculum, the High/Scope® Educational Approach, or to use the High/Scope method alone. Results indicated that children in the literacy intervention classrooms demonstrated significantly stronger outcomes in the areas of emergent writing, book and print knowledge, and general reading readiness skills. Minority language status also played a significant role in outcome, regardless of intervention condition. Implications for early childhood literacy interventions, especially important for children of low-income families, are discussed.

Preschool Antecedents of Mathematics Achievement of Latinos

Seventy-three Latino middle school students participated in a longitudinal study of the preschool antecedents of their mathematics achievement. Path analysis indicated that family resources (parents' educational level, occupation, and income) predicted home literacy activities, which predicted combined early Spanish literacy and English language proficiencies at kindergarten entry, which predicted elementary mathematics achievement, which in turn predicted middle school mathematics performance. These results and qualitative analyses with a subsample of 30 randomly selected families suggest that literacy and numeracy proficiency go hand in hand, and to close the Latino mathematics achievement gap a combined effort of preschool and early elementary literacy and numeracy interventions programs are needed to supplement efforts in middle and high school.

Effects of a Peer-Mediated Program on Reading Skill Acquisition for Two-Way Bilingual First-Grade Classrooms

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a supplemental peer-mediated reading program on reading achievement of first graders ( N = 76) in a two-way bilingual immersion (TWBI) program. Nearly 80% of students were Hispanic; of these, 24 were identified as English language learners (ELLs). Classrooms were randomly assigned to peer-assisted learning strategies (PALS) or contrast condition. PALS students participated in a 30-hour peer-mediated early literacy intervention that was conducted three times a week. Results showed statistically significant differences, with large effect sizes favoring PALS on phoneme segmentation fluency, nonsense word fluency, and oral reading fluency. Additionally, disaggregated results analyzed by subgroups (ELLs and English proficient) revealed a differential pattern in response to intervention. Implications of findings in relation to research and practice are discussed.

Read all about it: Inside the pediatric exam room or reception area, early literacy interventions are helping to boost children's potential in countless ways

Inside the pediatric exam room or reception area, early literacy interventions are helping to boost children's potential in countless ways A children's book can be a powerful tool in the hands of a pediatrician. Multiple studies have found that toddlers and preschool-age children whose low-income

Emergent and Early Literacy Intervention: Etiological Perspectives

Emergent and Early Literacy Intervention: Etiological Perspectives

Improving Reading Skills in Predominantly Hispanic Title 1 First–Grade Classrooms: The Promise of Peer–Assisted Learning Strategies

The purpose of this study was to examine the efficacy of a supplemental peer–tutoring reading program on phonological and reading fluency skills of first graders ( N= 78) who were in predominantly Hispanic Title 1 classrooms. Sixty–eight percent of the students were Hispanic, all were English speaking. Six classrooms were randomly assigned to either the peer–assisted learning strategies (PALS) program or a control condition. PALS students participated in a peer–mediated early literacy intervention three times a week for 20 weeks for a total of 30 hours. Reading fluency measures taken at fall, winter, and spring showed statistically significant differences favoring PALS on phoneme segmentation and nonsense word fluency. Additionally, results analyzed by ethnic subgroups (Hispanic and non–Hispanic) revealed a differential pattern of response to PALS intervention. Social validity questionnaires reported that teachers and students viewed PALS in a positive light.

Who Are the Young Children for Whom Best Practices in Reading Are Ineffective?

The primary purpose of this study was to identify student characteristics that reliably predict responsiveness and nonresponsiveness to generally effective early literacy interventions. Participants were 104 children, including 7 with special needs and Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), who were tested in kindergarten and first grade. Responsiveness/nonresponsiveness status was determined after 2 years during which children participated in best practice instruction (a) in kindergarten and first grade, (b) in kindergarten only, (c) in first grade only, or (d) in neither year. This facilitated the study of three groups. Always responsive students met responsiveness criteria in both years. Sometimes responsive students met the criteria in only one year. Nonresponsive students did not meet the criteria in either year. Multivariate analysis of variance and discriminant function analysis indicated that the three groups were reliably different from one another on measures of problem behavior, verbal memory, sentence imitation, syntactic awareness, vocabulary, naming speed, and segmentation. A combination of naming speed, vocabulary, sentence imitation, problem behavior, and amount of intervention correctly predicted 82.1% of nonresponsive students, 30.0% of sometimes responsive students, and 84.1% of always responsive students. Fifty students from kindergarten and first grade were tested again at the end of what should have been their third-grade year. All but 1 of the nonresponsive students who received intervention had been identified as requiring special education and had an IEP with reading goals.

Effective early reading instruction and inclusion: some reflections on mutual dependence

It is argued that attention to effective evidence‐based early reading interventions are a co‐requisite to genuinely inclusive education, with implications not only for reading acquisition, but also for a range of other social and academic domains. This paper briefly describes some of the recent developments in reading research that have the potential to promote the maximally effective reading interventions, and their consequences for inclusive practice. Potential challenges to inclusive education from some aspects of reading research are also considered. Classroom‐based interventions are described and contrasted with both individual tuition and resource room pull‐out models. It is concluded that an evidence‐based model of effective reading intervention can be linked productively with inclusion goals. To do this in practice, attention must be directed towards more highly‐structured evidence‐based approaches to early literacy intervention that allow equality of opportunity, and to the effective training of teachers to this end.

Early literacy interventions: The relative roles of storybook reading, alphabetic activities, and their combination

The study examined the differential contributions on vocabulary and alphabetic skills of three literacy programs: (a) storybook reading program; (b) alphabetic skills program; and (c) a combined program. It was expected that storybook reading would enhance primarily vocabulary while alphabetic skills training would promote primarily alphabetic skills. Program by age interactions were examined in two age groups (3–4 and 4–5 years old) to test whether the storybook reading program may be more productive for the younger children whereas alphabetic skills program more productive for the older children. Twelve low-SES preschools participated in the study, three in each program and three as a comparison group. Results indicated that the children in the three intervention programs progressed significantly more than the comparison group on name writing, letter knowledge and phonological awareness. Further, the alphabetic skills program outperformed the other groups on word writing, letter knowledge and initial letter retrieval, whereas the storybook reading program outperformed only the comparison group. Results on the combined program were mixed – enhancing more initial letter retrieval and book vocabulary than storybook reading program. In general, no differences emerged in the progress of younger versus older children except on receptive vocabulary – the younger surpassing the older in all programs.

Evaluating the impact of different early literacy interventions on low-income Costa Rican kindergarteners

Grade retention has been the de facto policy for children with academic difficulties in many Latin American countries [Schiefelbein, E., & Wolff, L. (1992). Repetition and inadequate achievement in Latin America’ s primary schools: a review of magnitudes, causes, relationships, and strategies. Washington, DC: World Bank.]. In Costa Rica, 14.9% of public school children were retained in first grade in 2002. In a study of first grade classrooms in Costa Rica, children identified as in need of repeating first grade were found to have lower levels of reading ability [Rolla San Francisco, A., Arias, M., Villers, R., & Snow, C. (in press). The importance of reading skills, prereading skills, and family in teachers’ decisions to retain children: a case study in costa rica. Aula Abierta]. There has been a greater focus in recent years on the importance of prevention of educational difficulties, versus repetition, as the most cost-effective and efficient way of providing educational opportunities to low-income children. There is little rigorous research evaluating the impact of different interventions on the early literacy skills of low-income children in developing countries as a way to prevent posterior academic difficulties. This experimental study evaluated the differential impact of three early literacy interventions—tutoring, classroom activities, and work with families—on the emergent literacy skills of low-income Costa Rican kindergarteners. Tutoring or a combination of all three interventions were the most effective, while providing high-quality materials to teachers without training had no impact, but more intensive interventions of longer duration will probably be needed to ensure long-term impact on first grade repetition and eventual school dropout. Continuing research will assess the impact of these interventions on student outcomes and repetition rates in first grade, as well as exploring the impact of the more intensive intervention of professional development.

Improving The Early Literacy Skills of Children with Behavioral Disorders and Phonological Processing Deficits at School Entry

ABSTRACT Improving the reading outcomes of children with concomitant emotional and behavior disorders (BD) and phonological processing deficits represents one of the greatest challenges facing educators today. For example, the results from a meta-analysis indicated that problem behavior (Z r =.46) was as important as phonological processing skills in predicting the effectiveness of early literacy interventions (Nelson, Benner, & Gonzalez, 2003). It is clear that children with BD and concomitant phonological processing deficits require intensive early literacy interventions that are delivered at school entry. In this paper, we describe such an intensive early literacy support program that has been validated with young children with BD and phonological processing deficits (Banner, 2003), provide justification for the practical use of this program, and discuss detailed guidelines for the use of this program in an inclusive setting.

Starting at the beginning: Early childhood literacy intervention as a strategy for reducing adult illiteracy

It is estimated that approximately one third or 8.7 million adults over 20 years of age in South Africa may be functionally illiterate. As a signatory to the Framework for Action for achieving Education for All by 2015, South Africa committed to the goal of achieving a 50 per cent improvement in levels of adult literacy by 2015. The goal of reducing illiteracy is thwarted by problems in delivery of adult basic education and training (ABET) programmes as well as challenges faced by learners participating in programmes. In addition, the existing pool of adult illiterates is likely to increase over time as the children currently unable to access schooling, or receiving minimal or inadequate schooling reach adulthood. This article proposes a multi-faceted approach that includes a focus on curtailing illiteracy in children by improving the quality of early literacy instruction, and introducing intervention in families and communities to promote early literacy development.

Early Literacy Interventions for English Language Learners: Support for an RTI Model

As part of a three tier prevention model, first grade students in a large urban school district were screened with measures of phonological awareness and nonsense word fluency to determine those in need of a Tier 2 reading intervention. The 15 lowest performing English language learner (ELL) students were selected and received a manualized phonological awareness intervention combined with a token economy. The students were monitored weekly with a Phoneme Segmentation Fluency (PSF) task and a Nonsense Word Fluency (NWF) task to assess improvement of their reading skills. Students were exited from the intervention upon reaching a predetermined level of both the PSF and NWF tasks. Twelve of the fifteen students were exited from the intervention and the remaining three students were referred for Tier three (intensive) intervention.

Response to early literacy instruction: Practical issues for early childhood personnel preparation

Converging research has demonstrated the importance of early literacy intervention to prevent reading disabilities. However, no one program can meet the needs of all children. One proposed revision of current special education identification procedures is known as the response‐to‐intervention (RTI) model. RTI will require that early childhood educators deliver research‐based early literacy instruction, assess children's progress in the curriculum, and develop intensive individualized interventions to improve outcomes for children who do not make adequate progress. This article addresses the challenge facing professionals who provide preservice and in‐service early childhood teacher education and who must train personnel to implement RTI.

Using a Response-to-Intervention Approach in Preschool to Promote Literacy

A response-to-intervention model (RTI) has been identified as a promising way to identify and intervene early with children who are experiencing learning difficulties. The general RTI approach also holds promise of preventing learning difficulties with preschoolers. This article examines the potential benefits of implementing a RTI model in preschool settings as well as the feasibility of implementation with respect to current preschool assessment technologies, teacher preparation, and program philosophical orientations. Although the research supporting the efficacy of systematic early literacy interventions in reducing pervasive reading problems is convincing, it is concluded that current preschool programs have not embraced these findings into everyday practice. Implications for school psychologists serving young children are addressed.