Follow-Up Study of Early Reading First Program Graduates: Comparison Between Dual Language Learners' and Monolingual Children's English Language and Literacy Performance

• In Event: 26.080 - Roundtable Session 8
  In Roundtable Session: 26.080-15 - Early Childhood: Standards, Policies, and Programs

Abstract

This study reports on the results of a longitudinal investigation of Dual Language Learners (DLLs) and monolingual English speakers who received an Early Reading First (ERF) intervention during preschool year. The results indicate that both the DLLs and monolingual English speakers in the study showed similar developmental trajectories on receptive vocabulary, story recall, decoding, and letter and word identification from preschool through the second grade. At second grade, the two groups' vocabulary, story recall, reading fluency, decoding, and letter-word identification performances were similar and within the normal range. The program characteristics during the ERF years are identified. The findings suggest that a strong preschool language and literacy program can reduce the English language gap between DLLs and monolingual children.

Authors

• Myae Han, University of Delaware

• Carol Vukelich, University of Delaware

• Martha J. Buell, University of Delaware

• Sohyun Meacham, University of Northern Iowa