scholarly journals Effective intervention to support oral language skills in English as an additional language in the early years

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
Victoria Murphy ◽  
J. Karemaker ◽  
K. Sylva ◽  
G. Kanji ◽  
F. Jelley
Keyword(s):  
Emergent Literacy ◽  
Oral Language ◽  
Literacy Development ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Linguistically Diverse ◽  
Vocabulary Knowledge ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Education And Care ◽  
Oral Language Skills

Increasingly, children enter Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) settings with English as an additional language (EAL) and for many of these linguistically diverse children, their knowledge and skills in the English language is less-well developed than native-speaking (NS) peers.  Much research over the past few decades has indicated how important early language and emergent literacy development is within ECEC settings, as children’s skills in these domains underpins later literacy development and academic achievement. Furthermore, many children from linguistically diverse backgrounds tend to have less well-developed vocabulary knowledge and struggle with aspects of literacy later on.  In this paper we present the findings of a Professional Development (PD) intervention study aimed at helping teachers to develop and implement effective strategies that support oral language skills in both EAL and NS pupils. We discuss these findings in relation to two other oral language interventions where the focus was on working directly with pupils. We argue that whereas evidence suggests interventions working directly with pupils can be more effective on improved child language outcomes, we need to focus more energy on developing good PD for Early Years Practitioners to support them in their critical roles in children’s educational development.

Oral language skills of Spanish-speaking English language learners: The impact of high-quality native language exposure

2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 673-696 ◽  
Author(s):  
PERLA B. GÁMEZ ◽  
SUSAN C. LEVINE
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Bilingual Education ◽  
Language Learners ◽  
Oral Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Syntactic Complexity ◽  
Transitional Bilingual ◽  
Transitional Bilingual Education ◽  
Oral Language Skills

ABSTRACTThis study examined the relation between young English language learners’ (ELL) native oral language skills and their language input in transitional bilingual education kindergarten classrooms. Spanish-speaking ELLs’ (n = 101) Spanish expressive language skills were assessed using the memory for sentences and picture vocabulary subtests of the Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery—Revised. Samples of transitional bilingual education teachers’ (n = 21) speech were recorded and coded for syntactic complexity and vocabulary usage. Results revealed considerable variation in ELLs’ language scores, with overall performance below the normative sample. There was also wide variation in teachers’ speech across classrooms. Hierarchical linear modeling revealed that gains in ELLs’ expressive language skills were positively related to the diversity of teachers’ vocabulary and teachers’ syntactic complexity. These findings suggest that the quality of teachers’ language input, not just the quantity of their input, plays a significant role in the language learning trajectories of ELLs.

Fostering Preschoolers' Emergent Literacy: Recommendations for Enhanced Literacy Experiences and Collaborative Instruction

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 167-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clariebelle Gabas ◽  
Leesa Marante ◽  
Sonia Q. Cabell
Keyword(s):  
Preschool Children ◽  
Emergent Literacy ◽  
Oral Language ◽  
Literacy Instruction ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Literacy Skills ◽  
Book Reading ◽  
Shared Book Reading ◽  
Emergent Literacy Skills ◽  
Oral Language Skills

Purpose Emergent literacy skills involve both the code-related and oral language skills that serve as the foundation for successful reading and writing development. Code-related skills have been found to be highly predictive of decoding skills for preschool children and continue to exert a strong influence through the early elementary grades. Likewise, early oral language skills make important contributions to later reading comprehension. Accordingly, the preschool period is a critical time for supporting and facilitating growth in children's emergent literacy skills. Speech-language pathologists working in preschool settings can play an integral role in enhancing literacy instruction through their specialized knowledge of linguistic concepts and language development. The following article aims to provide practitioners with evidence-based strategies for supporting the development of preschoolers' emergent literacy skills in the context of shared book reading and making experience books. The article also outlines recommendations for fostering effective collaborations with teachers to provide high-quality classroom experiences for all preschool children. Conclusion Providing preschool children with a print-rich environment along with clear and explicit explanations, scaffolding, and ample opportunities for practice can help to enhance the quality of language and literacy instruction. Although this article specifically focuses on shared book reading and making experience books, it is important to note that the strategies discussed here apply to a variety of activities. Speech-language pathologists are encouraged to actively collaborate with teachers to integrate these strategies into various classroom activities to optimize learning and promote children's emergent literacy skills.

scholarly journals A randomised controlled feasibility trial and qualitative evaluation of an early years language development intervention: study protocol of the ‘outcomes of Talking Together evaluation and results’ (oTTer) project

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudine Bowyer-Crane ◽  
Dea Nielsen ◽  
Maria Bryant ◽  
Nimarta Dharni ◽  
Rebecca Heald ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Feasibility Study ◽  
Oral Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Qualitative Evaluation ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Feasibility Trial ◽  
Definitive Trial ◽  
Oral Language Skills ◽  
Language Environment ◽  
Randomised Controlled

Abstract Background Problems with oral language skills in childhood have been linked with poor educational, employment, and mental health outcomes. In the UK, there is increasing concern about the oral language skills of children, particularly children from areas of social disadvantage. Research emphasises the importance of the home language environment as a fundamental bedrock for the development of oral language skills. It is vital, therefore, that support is available to help families in need to provide the optimal language environment for their child. Talking Together is a 6-week home visiting programme recently commissioned by Better Start Bradford to develop parents’ knowledge of the importance of a good language environment and help to improve parent-child interactions. This study represents the initial steps in developing a definitive trial of the Talking Together programme. Method This study is a two-arm randomised controlled feasibility study in which families referred into the Talking Together programme and consent to participate in the trial will be randomly allocated to either an intervention group or a waiting control group. We will assess the recruitment and retention rates, the representativeness of our sample, the appropriateness of our measures, and the sample size needed for a definitive trial. We will also carry out a qualitative evaluation to explore the acceptability of trial procedures for families and service providers, fidelity of delivery, time and resources for training, and barriers and facilitators to engagement with the programme. Clear progression criteria will be used to assess suitability for a definitive trial. Conclusion This feasibility study will inform the development of a definitive trial of this home-based visiting programme, which will add to the sparse evidence base on which practitioners can draw when supporting families in need. The lessons learnt from this feasibility study will also inform the wider evaluation work of the Better Start Bradford Innovation Hub. Trial registration The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry: study ID ISRCTN13251954. Date of registration: 21 February 2019 (the trial was retrospectively registered).

scholarly journals Advancing English Language Learners' Speaking Skills Using VoiceThread in Mobile Learning for Russian Tertiary Context

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 1-11
Author(s):  
Maria Zemlyanova ◽  
Natalia Muravyeva ◽  
Svetlana Masterskikh ◽  
Lyudmila Shilova ◽  
Anna Shevtsova
Keyword(s):  
English Language Learners ◽  
Language Learning ◽  
Mobile Learning ◽  
Oral Language ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Basic Knowledge ◽  
Full Time ◽  
Learning Platform ◽  
Oral Language Skills

This research examines the effectiveness of using the VoiceThread (VT) application (both web and mobile-based) for the development of oral English skills of Russian university students. The study involved 44 full-time bachelor students in non-linguistic departments. The results were evaluated by on-line questionnaire using SurveyMonkey. The survey indicated that the majority of students agreed that mobile VoiceThread developed their oral language skills (M = 4.75) and they enjoyed using it for language learning (M = 4.13). The novelty of the research lies in a more integral assessment of the entire set of oral linguistic skills as a result of their development using a specific mobile learning platform widely used throughout the world. The results can be used in practice to implement mobile learning platforms for teaching oral language skills to students with basic knowledge of a foreign language.

scholarly journals The Arts, the Common Core, and English Language Development in the Primary Grades

2017 ◽  
Vol 119 (8) ◽  
pp. 1-38
Author(s):  
Christa Mulker Greenfader ◽  
Liane Brouillette
Keyword(s):  
Language Development ◽  
Oral Language ◽  
English Learners ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Development Program ◽  
English Language Development ◽  
Oral Language Skills ◽  
English Speaking

Background/Context Throughout schooling, English learners (ELs) perform well below their monolingual English-speaking peers on literacy assessments, and Hispanics make up the majority of EL students in the United States. There is a strong consensus about the importance of early English oral language skills for ELs’ literacy development, yet teachers are not adequately prepared to meet the needs of these young learners. Historically, policy has not provided incentives for educators to focus on oral language development in the classroom. However, the recently adopted Common Core State Standards (CCSS) emphasize oral language skills. Purpose/Objective This study examines a professional development program that equipped early elementary teachers in five urban schools with arts-based strategies to promote the oral English development of ELs. A second line of inquiry looked at the extent to which the creative drama and dance activities were aligned with CCSS. Participants There were 3,792 K–2 Hispanic ELs (treatment: N = 497; control: N = 3,295) from Title I schools in a large school district in California. Intervention The Teaching Artist Project (TAP) was a two-year K–2 arts and literacy professional development program consisting of 28 weekly 50-minute lessons (14 theater and 14 dance). The project provided classroom teachers with in-service training on utilizing movement, gesture, and expression to promote stimulating English verbal interactions. TAP was specifically intended to engage non-native English speakers in classroom dialogues, facilitating their oral English development. Research Design This study utilized a mixed methods design. To address the first research question, schools were randomly assigned to treatment and control groups. Multiple regressions were run on data from the California English Language Development Test (CELDT) to investigate the impact of the program on the English speaking abilities of K–2 Hispanic English learners. To address the second research question, document review was used to compare the K–2 CCSS speaking and listening standards and the TAP lesson plans. Findings The treatment group was found to significantly outperform the control group (β = 0.13; p < 0.05) on CELDT speaking scores. Additional review suggested that the performing arts activities corresponded well to the CCSS speaking and listening standards. Conclusions/Recommendations Creative drama and dance activities provide rich verbal classroom interactions, boost English oral language skills of ELs, and align with the CCSS. Yet concerns are raised about the lack of speaking assessments on tests created by the Smarter Balanced and PARCC consortiums and the potential subsequent distortion of K–2 instruction.

Testing Oral Language Skills via the Computer

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jerry W. Larson
Keyword(s):  
Oral Language ◽  
Language Skills ◽  
Oral Language Skills
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