Comparing Language Groups in a Vocabulary Intervention for Preschoolers

• In Event: Poster Session 02
  In Poster Session: PS 02 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

Early vocabulary knowledge is particularly important for children’s reading ability (Ouellette, 2006). Moreover, language skills predict overall academic success (Duncan et al., 2007). However, children are not exposed to the same set of vocabulary words prior to school entry; instead, there is great variation in what individual children hear (d’Apice et al., 2019). Therefore, boosting children’s vocabulary is crucial for supporting the skills needed for later academic success. The current study is a vocabulary intervention that assessed the efficacy of teaching words through shared book reading and play. Additionally, this study had a subset of preschoolers from homes in which more than one language was spoken. The study results could therefore contribute to research on intervention effectiveness for children from diverse language backgrounds.
This vocabulary intervention taught difficult vocabulary words to preschoolers through three methods: book reading, playful learning activities, and a combination of the two. All children experienced these pedagogical methods in a series of four units throughout one school year. Target word knowledge was assessed at pre- and post-test timepoints for each of these units using a receptive measure. Before the intervention began, we collected demographic information from parents, including asking if a language other than English was spoken in the home.
Eleven children were excluded in our analyses due to lack of reporting language spoken at home. The subsequent analysis included a sample of 127 preschoolers (68 female, 92 English-only speakers, mean age=4 years, 4 months). To analyze the data, we predicted post-test knowledge of the target vocabulary words taught through each of the conditions, controlling for the pre-test of knowledge of target words, age, sex, and research site. No significant difference between the language groups existed (β=-.074, SE = .758, t=-.726, p=.470; β=-.057, SE = .859, t=-.599, p=.551; and β=-.088, SE = 1.689, t=-.832, p=.408; for reading only, play only, and the combination of reading and play, respectively). In other words, we found no significant difference in word learning between children who heard only English and those who heard other languages at home. This held true in each of the three learning conditions.
This finding illustrates the potential efficacy of vocabulary interventions that utilize our pedagogical methods for students hearing a diversity of languages in the home. Supporting children’s vocabularies is crucial for comprehension of the English-text they will eventually encounter while reading (O’Reilly et al., 2019). Therefore, it is important that interventions such as this one support vocabulary in a diverse range of students.

Authors

• Allyson S. Masters, Temple University
  Presenting Author

• Molly Scott, Teachers College, Columbia University
  Non-Presenting Author

• David K Dickinson, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Roberta M Golinkoff, University of Delaware
  Non-Presenting Author

• Kathy A Hirsh-Pasek, Temple University
  Non-Presenting Author