Examining Upper and Lower Case Letter Knowledge with Item Response Theory

Education and Human Ecology: 2nd Place (The Ohio State University Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum)Children’s alphabet knowledge is among the strongest predictors of children’s early literacy skills (Scarborough, 1998) and is a key component of emergent literacy development (Whitehurst & Lonigan, 1998). Alphabet knowledge is typically conceptualized as total number of letters a child knows (i.e., a simple sum score). Therefore, the fact that some letters are more likely to be known than others (i.e., inter-letter differences) is not taken into account in alphabet knowledge assessments. However, research studies suggest that specific alphabet knowledge does vary in acquisition (McBride-Chang, 1999), indicating that researchers and educators should consider inter-letter differences in alphabet knowledge. In addition, some experts contend that there are potential inter-letter differences between upper and lower case letters. Sophisticated measurement techniques, such as those based on Item Response Theory (IRT), allow for a more nuanced and precise understanding of alphabet knowledge through explicitly modeling potential inter-letter differences. The purpose of the present study was to use IRT to further identify inter-letter patterns in children’s acquisition of alphabet knowledge, and thus provide insight for alphabetic assessment and instruction.No embarg

Supporting Children\u27s Language and Literacy Through Collaborative Shared Book Reading

Language and literacy skills are critical for academic success. Shared book reading is an evidence-based practice for improving a range of language and literacy skills in young children, including those with or at risk for learning disabilities. The aim of this paper is to describe how teachers and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) can collaborate to support young children’s learning through shared book reading. An overview of shared book reading is presented, followed by a description of the collaboration, implementation of the shared book reading sessions, as well as instruction that can take place after the reading. By collaborating through shared book reading, teachers and SLPs can enhance their overall instructional quality to more effectively support the language and literacy needs of children with or at risk for learning disabilities

Relations between Home Literacy Environment, Child Characteristics, and Print Knowledge for Preschool Children with Language Impairment

To contribute to the modest body of work examining the home literacy environment (HLE) and emergent literacy outcomes for children with disabilities, this study addressed two aims: (a) to determine the unique contributions of the HLE on print knowledge of preschool children with language impairment (LI); and (b) to identify whether specific child characteristics (oral language ability, print interest) moderated these relations. The sample consisted of 119 preschool children with LI. HLE was conceptualized as frequency of storybook reading and literacy teaching during book reading. Frequency of storybook reading was a unique predictor of print knowledge, which is consistent with research on children with typical language. Literacy teaching did not predict print knowledge, which diverges from research on children with typical language. No interactions between the HLE and child characteristics were significant, but language ability and print interest play a role in understanding individual differences in literacy development

Relations between Home Literacy Environment, Child Characteristics, and Print Knowledge for Preschool Children with Language Impairment

To contribute to the modest body of work examining the home literacy environment (HLE) and emergent literacy outcomes for children with disabilities, this study addressed two aims: (a) to determine the unique contributions of the HLE on print knowledge of preschool children with language impairment (LI); and (b) to identify whether specific child characteristics (oral language ability, print interest) moderated these relations. The sample consisted of 119 preschool children with LI. HLE was conceptualized as frequency of storybook reading and literacy teaching during book reading. Frequency of storybook reading was a unique predictor of print knowledge, which is consistent with research on children with typical language. Literacy teaching did not predict print knowledge, which diverges from research on children with typical language. No interactions between the HLE and child characteristics were significant, but language ability and print interest play a role in understanding individual differences in literacy development

Impacts of Teacher–Child Managed Whole-Group Language and Literacy Instruction on the Depth of Preschoolers’ Social Interaction

Research Findings: This study examined the potential impacts of ongoing participation (twice weekly for 30 weeks) in teacher–child managed whole-group language and literacy instruction on prekindergarten children’s social interaction with classmates. Teacher–child managed whole-group instruction that provides children with opportunities to engage with all of their classmates regularly may potentially deepen the social depth within a classroom (i.e., the frequency with which children regularly interact with each other). Provision of this type of instruction occurred via teachers’ implementation of a whole-class literacy curriculum twice weekly. Participants were 119 preschoolers who received an experimental literacy curriculum in 26 classrooms and 76 children in 17 business-as-usual control classrooms. Condition predicted the strength of children’s social interaction, suggesting that children in experimental classrooms had relatively stronger social ties with peers than children in control classrooms. Practice or Policy: The findings suggest that participation in ongoing teacher–child managed whole-group instruction could facilitate stronger social connections among preschool children

MSCA Health and Healthcare Inequities Forum

Project Space for MSCA Health and Healthcare Inequities Workatho