Dialogic Reading
Effects of dialogic reading long term
Rationale
The purpose of my intended study is to determine how dialogic reading instruction impacts reading achievement long term. It will address children who enter kindergarten unprepared to because they may lack the vocabulary and sentence structure crucial to school success. These individual differences in early achievement may have long term consequences for children (Alexander & Entwisle, 1988: Stevenson & Newman, 1986). The research data has shown that dialogic reading and oral language can help improve English Language Learners and students from low income families reading achievement. I am wondering if that early intervention will result in a long term effect.
Literature
~Whitehurst found positive benefits on the effects of an interactive book reading program on children from low income families.
~Whitehurst also found children from low income families need frequent one-on-one language interactions with an adult to enhance language skills.
~Lever, Rosemary, and Monique found significant increases on structure, context measures, and expressive vocabulary after interventions using dialogic reading
~Miller found primary aged children who have better oral language make faster progress in acquiring literacy skills.
Methods
Schaumburg School Districts Early Learning Center
The Early Learning Center currently serves 331 special education students ages 3 to 5 (as required by state law) and 450 at-risk students ages 3 to 5. My study would randomly draw from this pool of students. Students would then be placed in two groups: one group who receives a dialogic reading intervention in addition to the districts curriculum and the other group who receives the regular curriculum with no dialogic intervention. The participants reading progress will be tracked through third grade in order to determine long term effects of their reading and the intervention.
Data
Data will be collected using the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test which will test receptive vocabulary, the Expressive One-Word Vocabulary Test which will test expressive vocabulary and Gates-MacGinite Reading Test which will test word recognition and comprehension. Participants will be assessed twice every academic year: once in the Fall and once in the Spring
Implications
If we can help students set a strong literacy foundation built on reading, discussing, and communicating understanding and interpretations of texts, we may be able to help students become higher achievers long term.