Optimizing Vocabulary Instruction for Preschool Children

A cluster randomized design was used to investigate effects of the Story Friends vocabulary curriculum on learning of 84 preschoolers in 24 classrooms who were at risk for language difficulties. Children in the treatment condition received explicit vocabulary instruction of 36 words during small-gro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inGrantee Submission
Main Authors Madsen, Keri M, Peters-Sanders, Lindsey A, Kelley, Elizabeth Spencer, Barker, Robert Michael, Seven, Yagmur, Olsen, Wendy L, Soto-Boykin, Xigrid, Goldstein, Howard
Format Report
LanguageEnglish
Published 2022
Subjects
At Risk Students
Instructional Improvement
Intelligence Tests
Language Acquisition
Language Impairments
Language Tests
Preschool Children
Program Effectiveness
Reading Programs
Verbal Ability
Vocabulary
Vocabulary Development
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Summary:A cluster randomized design was used to investigate effects of the Story Friends vocabulary curriculum on learning of 84 preschoolers in 24 classrooms who were at risk for language difficulties. Children in the treatment condition received explicit vocabulary instruction of 36 words during small-group storybook listening centers with extended practice opportunities in the classroom and at home. Children in the comparison condition were exposed to the same words in stories without explicit instruction or extended practice. Children (n = 16) with average or above language skills from six treatment classrooms were included to examine the impact of extended practice. Children at risk in treatment classrooms learned significantly more words (52%) than children at risk in comparison classrooms (12%). Children not at risk learned vocabulary equal to children at risk. A tiered approach to implementing Story Friends appears feasible for enhancing the vocabulary learning of preschoolers with and without language delays. [This is the online version of an article published in "Journal of Early Intervention."]
DOI:10.1177/10538151221116596