Shared Reading Interventions Research Articles

A Parent-Implemented Shared Reading Intervention via Telepractice

We describe a study of the internet-based Parent-Implemented Communication Strategies–Storybook (i-PiCSS), an intervention designed to train and coach parents to use evidenced-based naturalistic communication teaching (NCT) strategies (i.e., modeling, mand-model, and time delay) and RTs while reading storybooks with their young children with disabilities. Three participating parents were trained and coached via telepractice technologies (videoconferences, video editing software). Zoom software was used for videoconferencing and Camtasia software was used to record the training and coaching sessions and to edit the recorded session for feedback delivery purposes. Using a single-case multiple-baseline design across NCT strategies within each family, we examined (a) parents’ fidelity use of the three NCT strategies, (b) parents’ use of book RTs, and (c) child language and communication outcomes. The entire intervention period lasted 8 weeks. After training and coaching, parents used the modeling, mand-model, and time delay strategies with higher rates and higher quality (accuracy). Children initiated more communicative acts upon parents’ use of time delay and increased their numbers of single- and multiple-word responses.

The impact of parent training intervention in early years: language and literacy development

ABSTRACT This study examined implementation of a newly developed shared book reading intervention program, to boost infants’ early skills and provide a solid foundation for continued language learning. A randomised control study was conducted to elevate the effects of Shared Book Reading Intervention with 20 parents (n = 10 experiment, n = 10 control) and their infants/toddlers aged 8–16 months. The program including 12-week parental training, had a powerful alterable influence on infant’s language comprehension, word production, and literacy skills. Additionally, findings provide further evidence that the shared book intervention instructional strategies helped parents learn language domain content. When taken together, the results suggest that parents have the potential to shape their infants’ development in the short-term by initiating reading skill changes in their home environment.

Investigating the effectiveness of parent-implemented shared book reading intervention for preschoolers with ASD

Children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are at increased risk of persistent language and literacy difficulties. This study investigated the effectiveness of an 8-week parent-implemented shared book reading intervention designed to change parent and child book reading behaviours. Sixteen parents and their preschoolers on the autism spectrum participated. Nine parents were randomly allocated to receive the shared book reading intervention first. The intervention used a coaching model and comprised a training session, four home visits, and four follow-up phone calls. Parents completed a shared book reading video with their child prior to the intervention, immediately post-intervention and eight weeks after the intervention was completed. Following intervention, there was a significant increase in the intervention group parents’ use of book-related vocabulary and their explicit teaching of story structure, compared to the waitlist control group. Compared to the control group, there was a significant increase in children’s verbal participation (number of utterances and number of different words). However, these effects disappeared when the significant increase in reading duration following the intervention was taken into account. All improvements were maintained over time. Our results highlight the feasibility of a parent-implemented shared book reading intervention for encouraging early language skills in children on the spectrum in a naturalistic setting that is part of many family routines.

A Parent-Implemented Shared-Reading Intervention to Promote Communication Skills of Preschoolers with Autism Spectrum Disorder

In the current study, we examined the effect of a parent-implemented early communication intervention during shared book reading. Three mothers of children with autism spectrum disorder were trained and coached to use a set of reading techniques and evidenced-based naturalistic communication teaching strategies (i.e., modeling, mand-model, and time delay). Using a multiple-baseline design across behaviors, the following three components were examined: (a) the mothers' use of reading techniques with fidelity, (b) the mothers' rate and fidelity in using the three naturalistic teaching strategies, and (c) the children's communication outcomes. After training and coaching, the mothers used the reading techniques and naturalistic teaching strategies with high fidelity. The children initiated more communicative acts upon their mothers' use of time delay.

Adapting Interactive Shared Reading Interventions for Young Learners With Autism Spectrum Disorder: RECALL

Adapting Interactive Shared Reading Interventions for Young Learners With Autism Spectrum Disorder: RECALL

The Impact of Interactive Shared Book Reading on Children's Language Skills: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose Research has indicated that interactive shared book reading can support a wide range of early language skills and that children who are read to regularly in the early years learn language faster, enter school with a larger vocabulary, and become more successful readers at school. Despite the large volume of research suggesting interactive shared reading is beneficial for language development, two fundamental issues remain outstanding: whether shared book reading interventions are equally effective (a) for children from all socioeconomic backgrounds and (b) for a range of language skills. Method To address these issues, we conducted a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effects of two 6-week interactive shared reading interventions on a range of language skills in children across the socioeconomic spectrum. One hundred and fifty children aged between 2;6 and 3;0 (years;months) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: a pause reading, a dialogic reading, or an active shared reading control condition. Results The findings indicated that the interventions were effective at changing caregiver reading behaviors. However, the interventions did not boost children's language skills over and above the effect of an active reading control condition. There were also no effects of socioeconomic status. Conclusion This randomized controlled trial showed that caregivers from all socioeconomic backgrounds successfully adopted an interactive shared reading style. However, while the interventions were effective at increasing caregivers' use of interactive shared book reading behaviors, this did not have a significant impact on the children's language skills. The findings are discussed in terms of practical implications and future research. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12420539.

Shared Reading Extratextual Talk With Children With Autism Who Have Spontaneous Speech

Shared reading is a developmentally appropriate practice that supports children’s emergent literacy and language development. Participation in shared reading, however, may be compromised for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) due to social-communication difficulties inherent to the disorder. The primary aim of this study was to explore the extent to which children with ASD who have spontaneous verbal language engage in shared reading with caregivers. A total of 37 caregivers and their children ( n = 17 ASD; n = 20 with typical development [TD]) read nine books representing three different genres (i.e., familiar, non-fiction, fiction). Analyses revealed no differences between the groups in the quantity of adult questions asked, frequency of child-initiated comments or questions, and overall levels of child responsiveness to adults. Children with ASD showed greater responsiveness to adult questions during familiar books compared with either non-fiction or fiction genres, in contrast to TD children wherein responsiveness did not differ across book genres. The authors conclude with a discussion of the implications of these findings for designing shared reading interventions for children with ASD who have spontaneous verbal language.

The Effect of Prompts on the Shared Reading Interactions of Parents and Children with Down Syndrome

ABSTRACTThis study examined the effect of prompts on the shared reading interactions of parents and young children with Down syndrome. Eight parents and their children with Down syndrome (aged 4 years, 7 months to 6 years, 9 months) were recorded reading two books together, one of which included 12 question prompts which parents were instructed to ask their child during reading. Though there was considerable variability, parents and children engaged in significantly more extra-textual talk when reading books with embedded prompts than during typical reading. In addition, children showed greater participation and produced significantly more words and a greater range of words, when reading books with embedded prompts. Prompts had no effect on the complexity of child language. Embedded prompts significantly enhanced the interactions that occurred between parents and young children with Down syndrome during shared book reading and created more opportunities for parents to support their child’s language development. Though further studies are needed, the findings reported here have potentially important implications for the development of shared reading interventions to support language development in young children with Down syndrome.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of a ‘Real‐World' Shared Reading Intervention for Preschool Children and Their Families: A Randomised Controlled Trial

BackgroundShared reading interventions can impact positively on preschool children's language development and on their caregiver's attitudes/behaviours towards reading. However, a number of barriers may discourage families from engaging with these interventions, particularly families from lower socio‐economic status (SES) backgrounds. We investigated how families from such backgrounds responded to an intervention designed explicitly to overcome these barriers.MethodsIn a preregistered cluster randomised controlled trial, 85 lower SES families and their 3‐year‐old to 4‐year‐old children from 10 different preschools were randomly allocated to take part in The Reader's Shared Reading programme (intervention) or an existing ‘Story Time' group at a library (control) once a week for 8 weeks. Three outcome measures were assessed at baseline and post intervention: (1) attendance, (2) enjoyment of the reading groups and (3) caregivers' knowledge of, attitudes and behaviours towards reading. A fourth − children's vocabulary – was assessed at baseline and 4 weeks post intervention.ResultsFamilies were significantly more likely to attend the intervention group and rated it more favourably, compared with the control group. However, there were no significant effects on caregivers' knowledge, attitudes and behaviours or on children's language.ConclusionThe intervention was only successful in engaging families from disadvantaged backgrounds in shared reading. Implications for the use, duration and intensity of shared reading interventions are discussed.HighlightsWhat is already known about this topic Shared reading interventions have the potential to impact positively on child language and on their caregivers' attitudes/behaviours. However, a number of barriers may discourage families from participating or engaging with these interventions, particularly families from lower socio‐economic status (SES) backgrounds. What this paper adds We investigated how families from lower SES backgrounds responded to an intervention designed to overcome these barriers by, in particular, emphasising the enjoyment of reading, rather than its educational value. This paper evaluates a real‐world intervention programme designed and developed by a third sector organisation, as opposed to a researcher‐designed shared reading intervention. Families were significantly more likely to attend the intervention group and rated it more favourably, compared with the control group. Implications for theory, policy or practice These findings highlight the importance of evaluating the effectiveness of real‐world interventions that have been designed outside of the research community. Despite the intervention using evidence‐based interactive reading techniques, which have been shown to positively impact on child language, this shared reading intervention did not have a significant effect on caregivers' home literacy practices or on child language. Testing longer/more intensive interventions or interventions that engage teachers and other practitioners, as well as families, would be a fruitful avenue for future research.

Establishment of Conditioned Reinforcement for Reading Content and Effects on Reading Achievement for Early-Elementary Students

Reading interest is suggested to be integral to reading achievement, which affects later academic performance. Using whole-interval measures of silent-reading time, we recorded 34 second-grade students’ durations of reading episodes as constituting their intrinsic reading interest, or reinforcement value of reading content. Assessment of relations between this measure of sustained attention to the content of the text and multiple measures of both reading comprehension and vocabulary yielded significant correlations. We simultaneously conducted a combined preintervention and postintervention design with multiple probe logic to test the effect of the establishment of conditioned reinforcement for reading content, via a collaborative shared reading intervention with a teacher, on reading comprehension and vocabulary. This procedure involved periods of reciprocal reading and related collaborative reading activities designed to increase students’ reinforcement value of reading. The establishment of conditioned reinforcement for reading content for 7 participants resulted in grade-level increases from 0.1 to 2.2 grades on various measures of reading achievement in fewer than nine sessions (315 min). The results of this study suggest that it is not enough to learn the structure of reading: rather, one must learn to “love to read” in order to derive meaning from text in his or her development of comprehension and vocabulary.

Using a Concept Map With RECALL to Increase the Comprehension of Science Texts for Children With Autism

Learning science is important for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), as knowledge of science allows students to understand their natural world, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education is increasingly emphasized in schools. Reading to learn science is, therefore, a vital skill in today’s schools for all students. Using a single-case reversal design, this study evaluated the effectiveness of Reading to Engage Children with Autism in Language and Literacy (RECALL; a shared reading intervention) combined with a concept map on the ability of young children with ASD to answer comprehension questions from science text. Two 5-year-old boys with ASD participated in this study. Results indicated that RECALL combined with a concept map was effective in increasing participants’ correct responding to comprehension questions from science text. Implications for intervention and research are discussed.

Home-based shared book reading interventions and children’s language skills: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

ABSTRACT Over the past 2 decades, a growing number of randomised controlled trials have assessed the impact on children’s language skills of interventions encouraging parents to read books to their offspring. We present the results of a meta-analysis of the impact of 30 such interventions. Results indicate that they are often ineffective, and that only one specific methodology (dialogic reading) displays systematically positive impacts. Moreover, effective interventions display weaker impacts on low-socioeconomic groups, thus raising equity issues. Our systematic analysis of the research designs of these studies points at three major weaknesses. First, only short-term outcomes are measured, and, even within such a narrow time window, we find indications that treatment impacts fade out. A second limitation concerns the limited range of outcomes measured (receptive or expressive vocabulary). Finally, these studies display low external validity (ad hoc sampling, small sample sizes, lack of multi-site experiments, scant evidence outside Anglo-Saxon countries).

Barriers and solutions to participation in family-based education interventions

ABSTRACTThe fact that many sub-populations do not take part in research, especially participants from lower socioeconomic (SES) backgrounds, is a serious problem in education research. To increase the participation of such groups we must discover what social, economic and practical factors prevent participation, and how to overcome these barriers. In the current paper, we review the literature on this topic, before describing a case study that demonstrates four potential solutions to four barriers to participation in a shared reading intervention for families from lower SES backgrounds. We discuss the implications of our findings for family-based interventions more generally, and the difficulty of balancing strategies to encourage participation with adhering to the methodological integrity of a research study.

The effects of parent-implemented language interventions on child linguistic outcomes: A meta-analysis

Intervening early is important to minimize persistent difficulties in language and related domains in young children with or at-risk for language impairment (LI; Rescorla, 2009). Because language is first learned in caregiver–child interactions, parent-implemented interventions are potentially an important early intervention for children with or at-risk for LI. Previous meta-analyses have examined outcomes of parent-implemented interventions for children with primary and secondary LI, but have not included children at-risk for LI due to low SES. A systematic review of the literature identified 25 randomized controlled trials of parent-implemented language interventions examining linguistic outcomes for young children. Studies included 1734 participants (M = 3.7 years) with or at-risk for LI due to low SES. Results of these meta-analyses indicated modest improvements in expressive vocabulary and small improvements in expressive language for children with or at-risk for LI. The effect size for expressive vocabulary outcomes was significant for shared book reading interventions (g = 0.37, 95% CI [0.15–0.59]) and interventions implemented in play and/or routines (g = 0.50, 95% CI [0.05–0.95]). The effect size for expressive language was significant (g = 0.42, 95% CI [0.19–0.65]), but not for receptive language (g = 0.07, ns), and the effect size for receptive vocabulary was not significant (g = 0.18, ns). Sub-group analyses for expressive vocabulary and expressive language indicated moderate to large significant effects for children with or at-risk for primary LI and smaller, non-significant effects for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Findings are generally consistent with a previous meta-analysis (Roberts & Kaiser, 2011), indicating parent-implemented language interventions may have positive effects on linguistic outcomes for young children with or at-risk for LI. Limited measures of parent training procedures and varied measures of parent outcomes limited the analysis of how child outcomes were achieved.

Effects of Shared Reading on the Early Language and Literacy Skills of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) often demonstrate delays in early language and literacy skills. Shared reading, the practice of adults reading aloud to children while using behaviors (e.g., asking questions) that are meant to promote interaction between the adult and child, is an intervention that has had positive effects on those early skills for typically developing children. A meta-analysis of 11 shared reading interventions with children with ASD was conducted, and positive effects were found for listening comprehension, expressive communication, and other communicative and noncommunicative acts.

A systematic review of language and literacy interventions in children and adolescents with English as an additional language (EAL)

ABSTRACT This systematic review presents a synthesis of evidence regarding the effectiveness of language and literacy interventions targeting children with EAL. It updates the systematic review by Murphy and Unthiah [2015. A systematic review of intervention research examining English language and literacy development in children with English as an additional language (EAL). http://www.naldic.org.uk/Resources/NALDIC/Research and Information/Documents/eal-systematic-review-prof-v-murphy.pdf.], using the same methodology. Four databases were searched resulting in 2217 records identified. After screening 25 interventions, found in 26 studies, were eligible for inclusion. The results provide collective evidence that explicit vocabulary instruction and targeted oral language practice yield language gains for EAL learners, with a tendency for larger intervention gains in learners with the lowest initial pre-test scores. Shared reading interventions show positive effects when combined with the pre-teaching of vocabulary, embedded definitions into the text, or post-reading reinforcement activities. The review also highlights the paucity of interventions in the UK and in particular, a lack of interventions for adolescents, especially those in upper secondary school (ages 14-18).

Shared Book Reading Interventions With English Learners: A Meta-Analysis

The present meta-analysis was conducted to examine how shared book reading affects the English language and literacy skills of young children learning English as a second language. The final analysis included 54 studies of shared reading conducted in the United States. Features of the intervention and child characteristics were tested as potential moderators, and the impact of methodological criteria was examined using sensitivity analyses. Results revealed an overall significant, positive effect of shared reading on English learners’ outcomes. Children’s developmental status moderated this effect, with larger effect sizes found in studies including only typically developing participants than in studies including only participants with developmental disorders. No other significant moderators were identified. The main positive effect was robust to the application of more stringent methodological inclusion criteria. These results support shared book reading as an early educational activity for young English learners.

ASL and English bilingual Shared Book Reading: An exploratory intervention for signing deaf children

ABSTRACTAn exploratory study was implemented with bilingual deaf children using a quasi-experimental pre- and posttest design with a 10-week American Sign Language (ASL) and English bilingual Shared Book Reading intervention. Standardized and research-made instruments were used to evaluate ASL and English skills. Intervention effects showed improvements in Receptive ASL skills, Book Reading, and the ability to draw and describe drawings in both languages. Growth in visual phonology was evident in the drawings, and no relationship between auditory phonology and English word identification was found. The results provide implications for early literacy instruction with suggestions for future research.

The Effects of a Shared Reading Intervention on Narrative Story Comprehension and Task Engagement of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a shared reading intervention on narrative story comprehension and task engagement of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A single-case multiple baseline design was used, and three elementary-aged students with ASD participated in this study. The shared reading intervention included before, during, and after reading strategies (i.e., topic anticipation, dynamic reading, story retelling). Results of this study indicated that all participants demonstrated noticeable improvements in reading comprehension. Despite the longer duration of intervention sessions as compared to baseline sessions, participants showed similar or better task engagement with intervention. Improved reading outcomes were maintained at follow up for all participants. Implications for practical implementation and future research were discussed.

Exploring the impact of a Volunteer Shared Reading Programme on preschool-aged children

ABSTRACTShared reading interventions that target children at risk of developmental delays or those from low-income homes have been successful in improving children’s emergent literacy skills. Interventions that are implemented in childcare or education settings have also been shown to improve children’s emergent literacy; however, implementation of shared and dialogic reading programmes can be difficult in childcare environments where one-on-one time is limited. Hence, shared reading interventions that elicit the help of volunteers from the community are an ideal alternative. The current study examined the effects of a volunteer-implemented dialogic reading intervention on 75 children aged from three to five years, focusing on measures of vocabulary, oral comprehension, print awareness, social–emotional behaviour, communication skills, and book reading tendencies. Results showed significant improvements across all outcome variables, supporting the viability of volunteer-implemented reading interventions in childcare settings for improving children’s emergent literacy, communication and social–emotional behaviour.