Shared Book Reading in Preschool Supports Bilingual Children’s Second‐Language Learning: A Cluster‐Randomized Trial

Abstract

This cluster-randomized controlled study examined dual language learners (DLLs) in Norway who received a book-based language intervention program. About 464 DLLs aged 3-5 years in 123 early childhood classrooms participated in the study. The children were acquiring Norwegian as their second language in preschool and spoke a variety of first languages at home. They received a researcher-developed intervention that was organized around loosely scripted, content-rich shared reading in school and at home. Receiving the intervention had significant impacts on the children's second-language skills (effect sizes of d = .25-.66). In addition to supporting second-language vocabulary and grammar, the program with its focus on perspective taking during shared reading resulted in impacts on children's ability to shift perspectives and understand others' emotional states. We thank Paul Leseman, Francisco Pons and Joshua Lawrence for their valuable input in the planning phase of the project. We would like to thank all the research assistants and students who participated in data collection. In particular, we pay our regards to Nataliya Honcharova, Eva Svihus Borgersen, Kerstin Schmitz, Mari Hustad Sandøy and Svitlana Kucherenko for support in data collection and administration. Oslo Public Library (Deichman) gave advice on the selection of children's books used in the project. We thank the advisory board of experienced preschool leaders and teachers who gave important input in the planning of the intervention. Finally, we would like to express our appreciation to all the teachers, parents, and children who participated; this project would not have been possible without their support and interest. The project was financed by the Norwegian Research Council (grant number 218280).

Peer Effects on Early Language Development in Dual Language Learners

“…These differences in proficiency can pose challenges to DLLs’ academic achievement in addition to socioeconomic risk factors or immigration experiences which disproportionally affect DLLs (Hoff, 2013; Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Hooper, 2017; NASEM, 2017; OECD, 2018). Against this backdrop, improving DLLs’ chances to gain stronger majority language skills before school entry has become a focus of early childhood education (ECE) programs (Buysse, Peisner‐Feinberg, Páez, Hammer, & Knowles, 2014; Grøver, Rydland, Gustafsson, & Snow, 2020; Larson et al., 2020; Walker et al., 2020; Yazejian, Bryant, Freel, Burchinal, & Educare Learning Network Investigative Team, 2015). Crucially, research has shown that ECE programs can succeed in promoting DLLs’ second language skills while offering opportunities for DLLs to maintain and strengthen verbal and literacy skills in their first language (Barnett, Yarosz, Thomas, Jung, & Blanco, 2007; Durán, Roseth, Hoffman, & Robertshaw, 2013; Slavin, Madden, Calderón, Chamberlain, & Hennessy, 2011) which substantially contribute to DLLs’ later academic achievement as well (Edele & Stanat, 2016).…”

“…These differences in proficiency can pose challenges to DLLs' academic achievement in addition to socioeconomic risk factors or immigration experiences which disproportionally affect DLLs (Hoff, 2013;Mullis, Martin, Foy, & Hooper, 2017;NASEM, 2017;OECD, 2018). Against this backdrop, improving DLLs' chances to gain stronger majority language skills before school entry has become a focus of early childhood education (ECE) programs (Buysse, Peisner-Feinberg, Páez, Hammer, & Knowles, 2014;Grøver, Rydland, Gustafsson, & Snow, 2020;Larson et al, 2020;Walker et al, 2020;Yazejian, Bryant, Freel, Burchinal, & Educare Learning Network Investigative Team, 2015). Crucially, research has shown that ECE programs can succeed in promoting DLLs' second language skills while offering opportunities for growth trajectories (above and beyond differences related to socioeconomic status [SES]), (b) to what extent the effect of the home language status on majority language skills varies between preschool classrooms, and (c) whether the skill levels of classroom peers have differential effects on the development of majority language skills for DLLs and monolingual children (controlling for classroom quality).…”

Language use, home literacy environment, and demography: Predicting vocabulary skills among diverse young dual language learners in Norway

“…The target children were recruited through their preschools as part of a larger language-based intervention study (Grøver, Rydland, Gustafsson & Snow, 2020). In the present study, we use the pre-intervention data that were collected as part of the overall project.…”

Development of a French‐language early literacy scale: structural analysis and links between the dimensions of early literacy

“…Vocabulary is a fundamental component of learning to read (National Reading Panel, 2000). Some studies have shown the importance of shared reading in developing vocabulary (Sénéchal & LeFevre, 2014; Grøver, Rydland, Gustafsson, & Snow, 2020), whether productive vocabulary or receptive vocabulary (Mol, Bus, de Jong, & Smeets, 2008). The National Early Literacy Panel (2008) also showed that shared reading promotes the acquisition of several components of oral language, especially vocabulary.…”