TeacherRead-Maestros Leer

• In Event: Using Iterative Development to Design Equitable and Culturally Responsive Early Childhood Interventions

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this project is to develop a version of TeacherRead, a comprehensive and targeted shared book reading intervention to increase the language/literacy skills of children in pre-K. This enhanced version, TeacherRead-Maestros Leer (TRML) is designed for children who are Spanish-English dual language learners (DLLs).
Theoretical Framework. This work is grounded in Vygotsky’s Sociocultural Theory of Knowledge which posits that careful instruction is part of a socially-mediated experience that can help children construct knowledge.
Method. The first step in developing TRML was to work with a Community Interest Group (CIG) comprised of early childhood teachers and center/district administrators, as well as an Advisory Group of experts in language/literacy development in young DLLs, to gather feedback on a set of narrative and informational texts in English and Spanish for TRML lessons. As a second step, lessons were created to incorporate both the essential elements of the TeacherRead intervention and EBPs for DLLs. Our third step involved gathering feedback from the CIG and Advisory Group on 20 weeks of TRML lessons, as well as piloting a sample of lessons with three pre-K teachers. Taking into account this feedback, lessons were finalized in our fifth step. As a final step, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to understand the impact of TRML on children’s language/literacy skills (beginning fall of 2023).
Data Sources. Data sources for book selection involved gathering feedback on: 1) cultural and linguistic appropriateness of proposed book list, and 2) alignment of book topics with state and district frameworks/guidelines. For the iterative lesson creation process, we gathered feedback from the CIG, Advisory Groups, and early childhood teachers on: 1) lesson content, 2) lesson format, and 3) cultural and linguistic appropriateness for young DLLs. For the RCT, outcome data will be collected on children’s language and literacy skills, as well as data on teachers’ fidelity to implementation procedures.
Results. The feedback gathered from the CIG, Advisory Group, and early childhood teachers helped to both shape book selection for lessons and content and format of the lessons themselves. We ensured books used in TRML involved topics and characters children enrolled in the study would identify with and that the books aligned with topics and content children would be exposed to in their classrooms. Feedback on lessons themselves, helped to ensure format would help teachers to implement lessons with fidelity and that lessons length/content was appropriate for young DLLs. Results from the RCT currently being conducted will illuminate impacts of TRML on children’s language and literacy skills.
Scholarly Significance. The iterative development process, which involved gathering feedback from a variety of stakeholders, helped to shape materials and lessons to ensure the TRML lesson content was culturally appropriate for young DLLs and the content and format supported teachers’ implementation of the lessons. This type of iterative process for developing interventions for early childhood classrooms provides valuable information on best practices for ensuring lessons are easy to implement and effective for supporting young children’s development of skills essential for later reading success.

Authors

• Jill M. Pentimonti, University of Notre Dame

• Johannes M. Bos, American Institutes for Research

• Lauren Artzi, American Institutes for Research