colloquia march 16-19, 2008 - effective strategies for ... · effective strategies for promoting...

Effective StrategiesEffective Strategies for Promoting for Promoting Young Children's Literacy SkillsYoung Children's Literacy Skills

Christopher J. Lonigan, Ph.D.Christopher J. Lonigan, Ph.D.Florida State UniversityFlorida State University

Florida Center for Reading ResearchFlorida Center for Reading Research

Banff XL: Effective Early Learning Programs: Banff XL: Effective Early Learning Programs:

Research, Policy and PracticeResearch, Policy and Practice

March 17, 2008March 17, 2008

The Importance of ReadingThe Importance of Reading


Reading skills provide the foundation Reading skills provide the foundation for childrenfor children’’s academic successs academic success

Children who read well read more.Children who read well read more.

They acquire more knowledge in They acquire more knowledge in numerous domains.numerous domains.


Nagy and Anderson (1984, p. 328) Nagy and Anderson (1984, p. 328) estimated that the number of words estimated that the number of words read in a year by a middleread in a year by a middle--school child school child who is an avid reader might approach who is an avid reader might approach 10,000,000, compared to 100,000 for 10,000,000, compared to 100,000 for the least motivated middlethe least motivated middle--school school reader.reader.

The Importance of ReadingThe Importance of ReadingChildren who lag behind in their reading Children who lag behind in their reading

skillsskills……receive less practice in reading than receive less practice in reading than other childrenother childrenmiss opportunities to develop reading miss opportunities to develop reading comprehension strategiescomprehension strategiesoften encounter reading material that is often encounter reading material that is too advanced for their skillstoo advanced for their skillsacquire negative attitudes about acquire negative attitudes about reading itself.reading itself.


This may lead to whatThis may lead to what StanovichStanovich (1986) (1986) termed a termed a ““Matthew effect,Matthew effect,”” (i.e., the (i.e., the rich get richer while the poor get rich get richer while the poor get poorer).poorer).


Matthew EffectMatthew Effect

Children with poor reading skills fall Children with poor reading skills fall further and further behind their more further and further behind their more literate peers in reading as well as in literate peers in reading as well as in other academic areas, which become other academic areas, which become increasingly dependent on reading increasingly dependent on reading across the school years.across the school years.


Children with limited readingChildren with limited reading--related related skills rarely catchskills rarely catch--up to their peers up to their peers without intensive intervention.without intensive intervention.

Many continue to experience difficulties Many continue to experience difficulties throughout their school years and into throughout their school years and into adulthood.adulthood.


JuelJuel (1988) reported that the (1988) reported that the probability that children would remain probability that children would remain poor readers at the end of the fourth poor readers at the end of the fourth grade if they were poor readers at the grade if they were poor readers at the end of the first grade was .88.end of the first grade was .88.


Children who are poor readers are Children who are poor readers are frequently referred to special education frequently referred to special education classes.classes.

Of those who experience the most Of those who experience the most serious reading problems, 10 to 15% serious reading problems, 10 to 15% drop out of high school, and only 2% drop out of high school, and only 2% complete a 4complete a 4--year college program.year college program.


Are schools and teachers failing our children?Are schools and teachers failing our children?


Results of the National Assessment of Results of the National Assessment of Educational Progress: ReadingEducational Progress: Reading

Average Scores for 9Average Scores for 9--, 13, & 17, 13, & 17--yearyear--olds on National olds on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)in ReadingAssessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)in Reading

The Importance of ReadingThe Importance of ReadingThe National Research Council noted three The National Research Council noted three basic problems that represent early basic problems that represent early impediments to developing into a skilled impediments to developing into a skilled reader:reader:oo Problems in understanding and using the Problems in understanding and using the

alphabetic principle to acquire fluent and accurate alphabetic principle to acquire fluent and accurate word reading skills.word reading skills.

oo A failure to acquire verbal knowledge and A failure to acquire verbal knowledge and strategies that are needed for the comprehension strategies that are needed for the comprehension of written material.of written material.

oo The absence or loss of the initial motivation to The absence or loss of the initial motivation to read or a failure to develop a mature appreciation read or a failure to develop a mature appreciation of the rewards of reading.of the rewards of reading.


Emergent LiteracyEmergent Literacy

What is Emergent Literacy?What is Emergent Literacy?


Emergent literacy involves the skills, Emergent literacy involves the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that are knowledge, and attitudes that are developmental precursors to developmental precursors to conventional forms of reading and conventional forms of reading and writing (writing (WhitehurstWhitehurst & Lonigan, 1998).& Lonigan, 1998).


Emergent literacy skills are the basic Emergent literacy skills are the basic building blocks for learning to read and building blocks for learning to read and write.write.


Emergent literacy skills begin developing Emergent literacy skills begin developing in early infancy and early childhood in early infancy and early childhood through participation with adults in through participation with adults in meaningful activities involving talking meaningful activities involving talking and print.and print.


Interventions in the preschool period Interventions in the preschool period need to focus on emergent literacy skills need to focus on emergent literacy skills because children are not yet engaging because children are not yet engaging in convention forms of literacy.in convention forms of literacy.


Identifying Emergent Literacy Skills: Identifying Emergent Literacy Skills: The EvidenceThe Evidence

Identifying Emergent Literacy SkillsIdentifying Emergent Literacy Skills

•• Many candidate emergent literacy skills Many candidate emergent literacy skills have been suggested, including have been suggested, including •• oral languageoral language•• concepts about printconcepts about print•• environmental printenvironmental print•• alphabet knowledgealphabet knowledge•• phonological processing skillsphonological processing skills•• visualvisual--perceptual skillsperceptual skills•• emergent (pretend) readingemergent (pretend) reading•• emergent (pretend) writingemergent (pretend) writing


The National Early Literacy Panel The National Early Literacy Panel (NELP) conducted a meta(NELP) conducted a meta--analytic analytic review of published studies to identify review of published studies to identify potential variables that were predictive potential variables that were predictive of later conventional literacy.of later conventional literacy.


•• Ultimately, 234 studies that involved a Ultimately, 234 studies that involved a predictive relation between a skill predictive relation between a skill measured during preschool (or measured during preschool (or kindergarten) and a conventional kindergarten) and a conventional literacy outcome measured at some literacy outcome measured at some later point in time (i.e., from later point in time (i.e., from kindergarten forward) were identified kindergarten forward) were identified and used in a metaand used in a meta--analysis.analysis.


Resulting in...Resulting in...

Average correlations between predictor variables measured in Average correlations between predictor variables measured in preschool or kindergarten and reading outcomes based on metapreschool or kindergarten and reading outcomes based on meta--

analysis of National Early Literacy Panelanalysis of National Early Literacy Panel Reading Outcome

Decoding Comprehension

Predictor Variable Average r

N Studies

N Children

Average r

N Studies

N Children

Alphabet Knowledge .50 50 7,435 .47 13 1,753

Writing/Name Writing .49 10 1,650 .33 4 565

Phonological Awareness .40 67 8,350 .44 20 2,461

RAN Letters/Digits .40 12 2,081 .43 3 333

Concepts of Print .34 11 2,556 .54 3 535

Oral Language .33 60 9,143 .33 27 3,809

RAN Objects/Colors .32 16 3,100 .42 6 1,146

Phonological STM .26 32 4,801 .38 11 1,774

Visual Perceptual Skills .18 12 2,155 .25 8 1,385


A number of variables have strong and A number of variables have strong and consistent relations with later consistent relations with later convention literacy outcomes in a convention literacy outcomes in a relatively large number of studies with a relatively large number of studies with a relatively large number of children relatively large number of children (meaning they are sizable, reliable, and (meaning they are sizable, reliable, and stable).stable).


Strong Predictors:Strong Predictors:•• Alphabet KnowledgeAlphabet Knowledge•• Concepts About PrintConcepts About Print•• Phonological AwarenessPhonological Awareness•• RAN Letters/Digits (Rapid Automatic RAN Letters/Digits (Rapid Automatic

Naming/Lexical Access)Naming/Lexical Access)•• Writing/Name WritingWriting/Name Writing


Other variables have a smaller effect or Other variables have a smaller effect or have been examined in fewer studies have been examined in fewer studies with fewer children:with fewer children:•• Environmental PrintEnvironmental Print•• Visual MemoryVisual Memory•• Visual Motor SkillsVisual Motor Skills•• Visual Perceptual SkillsVisual Perceptual Skills


A A very importantvery important interpretive caution interpretive caution for these findings is that these values for these findings is that these values reflect zeroreflect zero--order correlations.order correlations.oo Correlations may reflect third Correlations may reflect third

variables.variables.oo Variables may share predictive Variables may share predictive

variance.variance.


Greater confidence of the importance of Greater confidence of the importance of a variable would be obtained if that a variable would be obtained if that variable contributed unique predictive variable contributed unique predictive variance to an outcome once other variance to an outcome once other important variables were controlled.important variables were controlled.

For example, does a variable predict a For example, does a variable predict a reading outcome above and beyond reading outcome above and beyond variance shared with IQ or language variance shared with IQ or language skill?skill?


Examination of multivariate studies Examination of multivariate studies (i.e., studies in which the predictive (i.e., studies in which the predictive utility of variables is examined in the utility of variables is examined in the context of other variables) indicates context of other variables) indicates that several of these univariate that several of these univariate predictors provide independent predictors provide independent predictive information.predictive information.

Summary of NELP Primary Analyses

Predictor Variable Decoding Reading Comprehension

Spelling Multivariate Significance

Alphabet Knowledge ++ + ++ Yes

Phonological Awareness + + + Yes

Concepts About Print + ++ + Sometimes

RAN Letters/Digits + + NA Yes

RAN Objects/Colors + + + Yes

Writing/Writing Name + + + Yes

Oral Language + + + Sometimes

Phonological STM -- + + Yes

Visual Perceptual -- -- + No

Print Awareness -- + NA NA


Consistent evidence that there are three Consistent evidence that there are three primary domains of emergent literacy skills primary domains of emergent literacy skills that are related to later (conventional) that are related to later (conventional) reading and writing.reading and writing.

Oral LanguageOral Language

Phonological ProcessingPhonological Processing

Print KnowledgePrint Knowledge

Promoting the Development of Promoting the Development of Emergent Literacy SkillsEmergent Literacy Skills


Two Questions:Two Questions:What instructional strategies for early What instructional strategies for early literacy skills are empirically supported?literacy skills are empirically supported?What does it mean to be research What does it mean to be research supported?supported?


What does it mean to be research What does it mean to be research supported?supported?

Classification of instructional strategies Classification of instructional strategies as researchas research--based can be thought of as based can be thought of as existing on a hierarchy of evidence for existing on a hierarchy of evidence for the particular strategy.the particular strategy.



Two endpoints:Two endpoints:oo Publisher representatives at teacher Publisher representatives at teacher

conferences wearing lab coats to appear conferences wearing lab coats to appear scientific.scientific.

oo Identification of effective instructional Identification of effective instructional strategies using causally interpretable strategies using causally interpretable research studies.research studies.



Two endpoints:Two endpoints:oo In between these endpoints are other levels In between these endpoints are other levels

that involve research studies on an that involve research studies on an instructional strategy conducted in a way instructional strategy conducted in a way that allows only ambiguous causal that allows only ambiguous causal interpretation (e.g.,interpretation (e.g., correlationalcorrelational studies or studies or poorly designed intervention studies).poorly designed intervention studies).


Identifying Empirically Supported Identifying Empirically Supported Instructional StrategiesInstructional Strategies

Two Recent SynthesesTwo Recent Synthesesoo What Works ClearinghouseWhat Works Clearinghouseoo National Early Literacy PanelNational Early Literacy Panel

What Works Clearinghouse What Works Clearinghouse Early Childhood Education ReviewEarly Childhood Education Review

Examined centerExamined center--based practices and based practices and curricula designed to enhance childrencurricula designed to enhance children’’s s language, literacy, and math skills.language, literacy, and math skills.

Involved a comprehensive search for Involved a comprehensive search for reports of published and unpublished reports of published and unpublished studies, produced between 1986 and studies, produced between 1986 and 2007, of relevant instruction for 2007, of relevant instruction for preschool children.preschool children.


Employed a rulesEmployed a rules--based system to based system to classify each study as highly classify each study as highly interpretable, interpretable, or not interpretable, interpretable, or not interpretable based on the studyinterpretable based on the study’’s s design, implementation, and the design, implementation, and the reporting of results.reporting of results.


For studies classified as interpretable, For studies classified as interpretable, results were rated as: results were rated as: oo showing evidence of positive effects showing evidence of positive effects oo not showing evidence of effects not showing evidence of effects oo showing evidence of negative effectsshowing evidence of negative effects

National Early Literacy Panel (NELP)National Early Literacy Panel (NELP)

The NELP examined the research The NELP examined the research evidence for all instructional practices evidence for all instructional practices for children between birth and for children between birth and kindergarten.kindergarten.

Involved a comprehensive search for Involved a comprehensive search for reports of research in peerreports of research in peer--reviewed reviewed publications (no time limit on date of publications (no time limit on date of publication was used).publication was used).


All identified articles were subjected to All identified articles were subjected to a screening and review process to a screening and review process to identify identify oo GroupGroup--design studies of an instructional design studies of an instructional

practice or programpractice or programoo Children from birth to kindergartenChildren from birth to kindergartenoo Allowed interpretation of resultsAllowed interpretation of results

Randomized experimentsRandomized experimentsWellWell--conducted quasiconducted quasi--experimentsexperimentsNo confounding of the instructional No confounding of the instructional practice with other factorspractice with other factors


Differed from the WWC review because:Differed from the WWC review because:included a broader ageincluded a broader age--range of range of children (i.e., children younger than children (i.e., children younger than preschool age and children in preschool age and children in kindergarten)kindergarten)included only published studiesincluded only published studiesinstructional practices conducted by instructional practices conducted by oo teachers in centerteachers in center--based settingsbased settingsoo parents at homeparents at homeoo other individuals working with childrenother individuals working with children

Practices Affecting ChildrenPractices Affecting Children’’s Oral s Oral Language SkillsLanguage Skills


Both the WWC and the NELP examined Both the WWC and the NELP examined the effect of shared reading the effect of shared reading interventions.interventions.oo In the WWC review, only dialogic reading In the WWC review, only dialogic reading

produced positive effects on childrenproduced positive effects on children’’s oral s oral language skills.language skills.

oo In the NELP review, both dialogic reading In the NELP review, both dialogic reading and typical shared reading were effective.and typical shared reading were effective.

oo However, there was a trend for dialogic However, there was a trend for dialogic reading to result in larger gains.reading to result in larger gains.


Results of the NELP included studies in Results of the NELP included studies in which both instructors and parents did which both instructors and parents did the reading.the reading.Results of the WWC based solely on Results of the WWC based solely on studies of instructors in centerstudies of instructors in center--based based settings.settings.oo The WWC found no evidence of a positive The WWC found no evidence of a positive

effect on childreneffect on children’’s oral language skills of s oral language skills of instructors simply reading books with instructors simply reading books with children or of instructors reading books in children or of instructors reading books in an interactive (but not dialogic) style with an interactive (but not dialogic) style with children.children.


Both reviews support the use of dialogic Both reviews support the use of dialogic reading to enhance childrenreading to enhance children’’s oral s oral language skills.language skills.Based on the WWC reviews, this is the Based on the WWC reviews, this is the only form of instructoronly form of instructor--implemented implemented shared reading that produces a positive shared reading that produces a positive outcome.outcome.Based on the NELP review, dialogic Based on the NELP review, dialogic reading is an effective instructional reading is an effective instructional strategy when used by either teachers strategy when used by either teachers or parents.or parents.


Dialogic reading can be classified as an Dialogic reading can be classified as an empirically supported instructional empirically supported instructional strategy for both teachers and parents.strategy for both teachers and parents.

This approach is preferable to other This approach is preferable to other forms of shared reading.forms of shared reading.oo Many studies showing positive effects of Many studies showing positive effects of

dialogic reading, children in the comparison dialogic reading, children in the comparison group were read to as frequently as children group were read to as frequently as children in the dialogic reading group (style, not in the dialogic reading group (style, not frequency).frequency).


Dialogic reading is an approach to shared Dialogic reading is an approach to shared reading in which the typical roles of adult and reading in which the typical roles of adult and child are partially reversed.child are partially reversed.oo Adult facilitates the childAdult facilitates the child’’s active role in s active role in

telling the story.telling the story.oo Asks questions about the story or the Asks questions about the story or the

pictures in the bookpictures in the bookoo Provides feedback in the form of repetitions, Provides feedback in the form of repetitions,

expansions, and modeling of answers.expansions, and modeling of answers.oo Process represents aProcess represents a scaffoldedscaffolded form of form of

language interaction that uses a picture language interaction that uses a picture book as the context.book as the context.


Importantly, studies showing positive Importantly, studies showing positive effects of dialogic reading have involved effects of dialogic reading have involved parents reading oneparents reading one--onon--one with their one with their children or instructors reading to smallchildren or instructors reading to small--groups of 3 to 5 children at a time.groups of 3 to 5 children at a time.These reading episodes typically last These reading episodes typically last only 15only 15-- to 20to 20--minutes, but they occur minutes, but they occur at least three times a week. at least three times a week. There is no evidence for the There is no evidence for the effectiveness of using dialogic reading effectiveness of using dialogic reading infrequentlyinfrequently or with or with large groupslarge groups of of children.children.


The WWC did not find any practice, The WWC did not find any practice, other than dialogic reading, that other than dialogic reading, that resulted in positive effects on childrenresulted in positive effects on children’’s s oral language skills.oral language skills.

The NELP identified a diverse set of The NELP identified a diverse set of parent/homeparent/home--oriented interventions oriented interventions that resulted in significant positive that resulted in significant positive effects. effects.


Effective PracticesEffective Practices•• Programs that teach parents general Programs that teach parents general

stimulation activities or focal oral language stimulation activities or focal oral language stimulation activitiesstimulation activities

•• Parents acting as speechParents acting as speech--language clinicians language clinicians for their children with speechfor their children with speech--language language disordersdisorders

•• Teaching parents activities that are aligned Teaching parents activities that are aligned with the activities occurring in their childrenwith the activities occurring in their children’’s s kindergarten or preschoolkindergarten or preschool

Practices Affecting ChildrenPractices Affecting Children’’s s CodeCode--Related SkillsRelated Skills


•• Both the WWC and the NELP found that Both the WWC and the NELP found that phonological awareness instructional phonological awareness instructional activities resulted in large effects on activities resulted in large effects on childrenchildren’’s codes code--related skills.related skills.

•• This Phonological awareness training This Phonological awareness training could also include activities designed to could also include activities designed to teach children about print/letters.teach children about print/letters.


•• These positive results were not These positive results were not dependent on children being a certain dependent on children being a certain age or having already achieved a age or having already achieved a specific level of early literacy specific level of early literacy knowledge.knowledge.


Summary of CodeSummary of Code--Focused Intervention Findings from National Focused Intervention Findings from National Early Literacy PanelEarly Literacy Panel

Effect Sizes for Outcome Variable and (n) of Studies Contributing to Effect Size

Type of Training Phonological Awareness

Alphabet Knowledge

Oral Language

Reading Spelling

PA Training Only .91*** (21)

.04 (6)

.09 (4)

.19 (10)

.59** (4)

PA & AK Training .70*** (18)

.37* (7)

.13 (4)

.31* (13)

.50*** (6)

AK Training Only .48 (1)

---- (0)

.83* (1)

-.52 (1)

---- (0)

PA & Phonics Training

.74*** (19)

.57*** (9)

.68** (4)

.66*** (17)

.59*** (8)


What kind of interventions do and do What kind of interventions do and do not promote codenot promote code--related skills?related skills?oo Typically smallTypically small--group (or 1:1)group (or 1:1)oo Typically focus on explicit Typically focus on explicit

manipulation of sounds in wordsmanipulation of sounds in wordsTeach children to blend individual Teach children to blend individual sounds to form wordssounds to form wordsTeach children to delete sounds from Teach children to delete sounds from words to make new wordswords to make new wordsTeach children to match words based on Teach children to match words based on initial soundsinitial sounds


What kind of interventions do and do What kind of interventions do and do not promote codenot promote code--related skills?related skills?oo Teaching children about print Teaching children about print

(alphabet knowledge, early (alphabet knowledge, early decoding) increases effectiveness of decoding) increases effectiveness of phonological awareness trainingphonological awareness training

oo See more evidence and examples on See more evidence and examples on What Works Clearinghouse website What Works Clearinghouse website (www.(www.whatworkswhatworks.ed..ed.govgov))

http://http://www.fcrr.orgwww.fcrr.org

[email protected]@psy.fsu.edu

colloquia march 16-19, 2008 - effective strategies for ... · effective strategies for promoting...

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