Out of the Lab, Into the Classroom: Inclusive Preliteracy Instruction for Preschoolers With Communication Disorders

• In Event: Roundtable Session 9
  In Roundtable Session: Early Literacy Learning and Instruction

Abstract

While literacy levels for the general population of students are worrisome, young children with communication disorders are especially vulnerable to underperformance in reading due to weaknesses in phonological and language skills. The broad impact of previously researched interventions is limited by the heavy reliance on pullout service models or the need for controlled research settings. This paper reports on a quasi-experimental study that examines the effects of an intervention designed to target phonological awareness and vocabulary skills within an inclusive preschool classroom. As a group, the experimental classroom performed statistically significantly better on the phonemic items that were explicitly trained. Children with more complex speech and language difficulties had variable outcomes suggesting further considerations for students with diverse needs.

Authors

• Alyssa R. Boucher, Center for Applied Special Technology

• Shelley L. Velleman