+My Research Process

6 case studies with three of the studies being mother-child dyads and the other three studies being father-child dyads.

Case Study Sample: Children chosen will be between the ages of 2-4, which is the typical age this intervention is aimed at. Children chosen will also come from English-speaking homes and are typical in ability – not diagnosed with language difficulties. Recruited from Strong Start Centers, the Ready, Set, Learn program; stress parent commitment.

My aim is to look at the gains made by “average” children using Dialogic Reading and parent/child enjoyment and perception of the intervention.

+Research Process

Continued…

Same standardized assessments in previous scientific studies (PPVT and EOWPVT – Form A).

A measure of informal assessment where child is interviewed by the researcher with specific questions about key vocabulary words from the picture books read, enjoyment of story reading.

Parent interview - discuss storybook reading habits at home, the child-parent relationship, perceived shared enjoyment of book reading.

Videotaped observations of story reading using the Dialogic Reading Observation Form - protocol previously created by Whitehurst et al. (1988).

Pre-Intervention

+Research Process

Continued…

Parent attends Dialogic training sessions: Direct instruction and video training; practiced Dialogic Reading by imitating the expert in role-play and receiving corrective feedback. Given children’s books for the next six-week intervention period.

During the six weeks, parents are contacted by phone and scheduled for in-person appointments to assess whether the parent is using the Dialogic training technique correctly.

Parents will be asked to keep a diary as part of the research.

The Intervention

+

Research Process

Continued…

Parents are asked to videotape a shared book reading session using Dialogic Reading, which is also coded using the same DROF form.

Children are assessed using Form B of PPVT and EOWPVT and are interviewed by the researcher to assess gains in vocabulary.

Parents interview - to provide feedback on Dialogic Reading (e.g., Would you use this intervention again? Do you feel it enhanced your child’s language skills? Do you feel that it has improved your reading interactions with your child in a positive way?). Diaries also provide information and feedback.

Post-Intervention

+Dialogic Reading Observation Form

(Whitehurst et al., 1988)

+Justification for My Methods

Multiple forms of data; both qualitative and quantitative.

This enables both information about children’s language development and also feedback on the social and emotional experiences of families:

+ Conclusions: The Potential Significance of My Research

Findings may suggest areas for further study, including areas for future larger scale quantitative analysis, as well as qualitative.

May refute or confirm experiential studies claiming a positive oral language impact on preschoolers.

May also lead to greater recognition of social aspects in the intervention.

Overall, does it support the notion that parents play a critical role in language development and that they should be taught Dialogic Reading techniques?

+ Focus Questions:In this collective case study, I propose to videotape interactions and use the Dialogic Reading Observation Form to guide researcher observations. What are other ways to analyze interactions and behaviors between people?

What are some additional limitations and advantages to using the collective case study method?

What other strategies should I use to recruit committed parents willing to do the work expected of them in this study?

For the parents out there, would you be willing to try Dialogic Reading with your child? Is learning new ways to read to your child important to you? Please provide feedback on your impression of this intervention.

+References

Arnold, D. H., & Others, A. (1994). Accelerating language development through picture book reading: Replication and extension to a videotape training format. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86(2), 235-43.

Arnold, R. (2005). Charming the next generation: A strategy for turning toddlers into readers. School Library Journal, 51(7), 30.

Greig, A., Taylor, J., & Mackay, T. (2007). Doing Research with Children. 2nd ed. London: Sage.

Huebner, C. E., & Meltzoff, A. N. (2005). Intervention to change parent–child reading style: A comparison of instructional methods. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 26(3), 296-313.

Johnson, B., & Christensen, L. (2008). Educational Research. 3rd ed. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

Mol, S. E., Bus, A. G., de Jong, M. T., & Smeets, D. J. H. (2008). Added value of dialogic parent-child book readings: A meta-analysis. Early Education and Development, 19(1), 7-26.

Whitehurst, G. J., & Others, A. (1988). Accelerating language development through picture book reading. Developmental Psychology, 24(4), 552-59.

+References

Whitehurst, G. J., Arnold, D. S., Epstein, J. N., Angell, A. L., Smith, M., & Fischel, J. E. (1994). A picture book reading intervention in day care and home for children from low-income families. Developmental Psychology, 30(5), 679-689.

vanKleeck, A., & Woude, J. V. (2003). Book sharing with preschoolers with language delays. In A. vanKleeck, S. A. Stahl, & E. B. Bauer (Eds.), On Reading Books to Children: Parents and Teachers (pp. 177-200). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in Society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Zevenbergen, A. A., & Whitehurst, G. J. (2003). Dialogic reading: A shared picture book reading intervention for preschoolers. In A. vanKleeck, S. A. Stahl, & E. B. Bauer (Eds.), On Reading Books to Children: Parents and Teachers (pp. 177-200). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.