Guadana, Roma Marian F.January 10, 2015MA ESLDr. R. Rozul

Research Review on Experimental Evaluation of a Preschool Language Curriculum: Influence on Childrens Expressive Language Skills by Laura M. Justice et.al (University of Virginia)The study conducted by Justice et.al (2008) has the primary purpose of investigating the child impacts following the implementation of a comprehensive language curriculum, the Language-Focused Curriculum within preschool classrooms. The study is mostly affected by the risks for academic challenges due to environmental disadvantage that are faced by the youngsters in United States.

I. The Language-Focused Preschool CurriculaBased on the study, the Language-Focused Curriculum or LFC was designed to improve childrens expressive language abilities by enhancing the language-learning environment of preschool classrooms. This, I think is a very essential point of study because children/preschoolers are yet starting to develop language. Children mostly communicate through expression and there is a great possibility that if expressive language of children is improved, the language will also improve as they grow. In fact, the study was supported by previous studies associated to expressive language stating that achievements in expressive language provide unique and complementary contributions to later higher-level language and literacy achievements. Another notable feature of LFC is that it adheres to social-interactionist principles, in which enhancement of the verbal interactions among teachers and children is an integral component. Language requires interaction and this feature of LFC would help the students in learning the language. Students would be having a room for them to use the language. Interaction may also be a way to strengthen the teaching-learning process when it comes to language. The teacher as well as the students may evaluate themselves as to the use of the language.

II. Goals, Method, ParticipantsThe first aim of the study is to determine whether the exposure to the LFC accelerated the expressive language skills of children participating in at-risk preschool programs compared to prevailing practices. Second is to determine the casual impact of LFC exposure on preschoolers expressive language skills, primarily their use of complex syntax and diverse vocabulary as measured within spontaneous language samples. The third aim is to examine the association between the exposure to teacher use of LSTs and childrens expressive language gains. Lastly, is to examine whether LFC and/or LST exposure moderated the associations between specific child characteristics and their expressive language gains during preschool. The goals or purposes of the study are very meticulous and complex. It requires a very long period of time to determine the results. Also, the study is focused on the evaluation of Language-Focused Curriculum which would require specific measures of participants and calculation/determination of results through varied approaches or techniques. This kind of study is something that cannot be done in a fast manner because there are many things to consider and skipping or jumping from one area to another may have a negative effect to the study. The study itself is conducted for one school year which is a very ideal. One hundred ninety-six children in three public schools were the participants with fourteen teachers, all located in one state. This strengthens the study because the setting and background of the participants are not factors that curtailed the study. The ratio made the study more relevant because of the probable results that may come with it. However, the number of teachers involved in the study is still not that enough. It may have been of greater relevance if more participants are involved in the study. These results would lead to achievement of the goals or purposes and give way to new situations and ideas.

III. Implementation and ProceduresThe teachers served as the key to implement the curriculum and the study. The studys procedure is mainly executed because of them. The study was divided by having a treatment teacher (experimental curriculum) and comparison teacher (prevailing curriculum) which would lead to the evaluation of the curriculum in comparison to the previous curriculum. Throughout the academic year these teachers are being observed and given set of incentives which includes instructional material to ensure their full commitment in the implementation of the curriculum. This procedure of the study is actually very difficult to execute. It is not easy to give additional tasks to the teachers in the span of one academic year especially in using a curriculum that is not yet fully implemented. Based on the study, the observation has been done thrice to study their classroom instruction and to monitor implementation fidelity. It would have been a greater support for the study if observation has been done on a more regular basis. However, the use of incentives and provided instructional materials is of a lot help in the part of the teachers. As to the implementation of the Language-Focused Curriculum, there are three conditions which are actually phases or steps made in the curriculum implementation that aided to the results of the study, these conditions are: experimental condition, comparison condition, and fidelity of implementation. The experimental condition opened workshop trainings for the teachers on the implementation of the curriculum and distribution of comprehensive set of curriculum materials. The comparison condition mainly focused on informing the other set of teachers that they are involved in the study and they greatly affect the outcome of the study. The fidelity of implementation is mostly the monitoring part of the implementation. These conditions as described in the study are well-planned and organized which led to a well-prepared batch of teachers. This helped in making the study successful despite of some problems encountered as the study is conducted.

IV. Results, Discussion, FindingsThe result showed that the childrens participation in a comprehensive preschool language curriculum and exposure achieves a value-added benefit only under highly specific circumstances. Also, it is added on findings that Childrens skills are generally stable during the later preschool years. Second, no main effects for LFC participation childrens expressive language skills, indicating that exposure to LFC was not sufficient to improve childrens expressive language skills over and above that seen in the comparison classrooms in which the High/Scope curriculum was reportedly being used. Likewise, it was also seen that no main effects for LST exposure, indicating that heightened exposure to LSTs was insufficient to accelerate language growth. Lastly, the most practical interpretation of this finding is that the percentage of days in attendance represents the childs actual dosage to the curriculum. The findings stated in the study answered the goals set on the first part of the study. The only issue is that, the results seemed to be less than what is expected because the results only showed one important factor and that is childrens classroom attendance. The exposure is only heightened if the child is attending school regularly.

The study itself has its own limitations and that is something normally seen to other researches or studies. The study itself opened more ideas and situations where another study may occur. The help given by the study is very useful especially to curriculum developers and teachers in evaluating and designing a curriculum for the students. The important thing is to use the results and findings of the study to further improve the education and curriculum development in every school.Page 3 of 3