Shared Book Reading Interventions With English Learners: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

The present meta-analysis was conducted to examine how shared book reading affects the English language and literacy skills of young children learning English as a second language. The final analysis included 54 studies of shared reading conducted in the United States. Features of the intervention and child characteristics were tested as potential moderators, and the impact of methodological criteria was examined using sensitivity analyses. Results revealed an overall significant, positive effect of shared reading on English learners' outcomes. Children's developmental status moderated this effect, with larger effect sizes found in studies including only typically developing participants than in studies including only participants with developmental disorders. No other significant moderators were identified. The main positive effect was robust to the application of more stringent methodological inclusion criteria. These results support shared book reading as an early educational activity for young English learners.

The Impact of Shared Book Reading on Children’s Language Skills: A Meta-Analysis

“…Taken together, these factors may account for the more modest effect of shared reading reported in the present meta-analysis. This conclusion is consistent with the recent meta-analysis by Fitton, McIlraith, and Wood (2018) on shared book reading and language and literacy skills of children learning English as an additional language. Fitton et al (2018) included a broad range of shared reading interventions and outcome measures in the meta-analysis, and also considered the methodological rigour of previous studies, and report a similar effect size (g ‾ = 0.27 for passive control groups) to the present study, despite focusing on a different population.…”

“…This conclusion is consistent with the recent meta-analysis by Fitton, McIlraith, and Wood (2018) on shared book reading and language and literacy skills of children learning English as an additional language. Fitton et al (2018) included a broad range of shared reading interventions and outcome measures in the meta-analysis, and also considered the methodological rigour of previous studies, and report a similar effect size (g ‾ = 0.27 for passive control groups) to the present study, despite focusing on a different population. In addition to a more modest effect size for studies with passive controls, the current meta-analysis also reports a near-zero effect when studies with active control groups are considered.…”

Systematic Review of English Early Literacy Interventions for Children Who Are Dual Language Learners

“…The effect size point estimates reported in this review and by others (Durán et al, 2016; Fitton et al, 2018; Larson et al, 2019) suggest that bilingual instruction is likely effective for supporting children’s English early literacy skills and does not negatively affect children’s learning of their primary language. Findings from this review also provide emerging evidence that English-only instruction might also be effective for enhancing children’s English early literacy skills, particularly for code-related skills.…”

“…Some examples of recommended culturally and linguistically responsive practices in English instructional environments are integrating children’s home language and culture into the classroom by providing books in the home language; having books in English that include visual representations of children’s culture to support learning English vocabulary words for the representations; using key vocabulary words in the home language; facilitating children’s understanding of English by using gestures, props, or pictures that illustrate English word meanings; incorporating materials and objects in activities relevant to children’s cultures and providing explicit support in learning both the home and English language words for the objects or materials; and providing multiple opportunities to hear and use English (Sawyer et al, 2016). In their meta-analysis, Fitton et al (2018) reported overall positive effects of book reading interventions on early literacy skills for children who are DLLs. However, they did not find the language of instruction moderated these effects.…”

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

“…Evidence has accumulated that children benefit from shared book reading, both at home and in classroom contexts, and that certain features of the book-reading interactions facilitate the positive effects on children's first (for reviews, see Dowdall et al, 2019;Mol, Bus, De Jong, & Smeets, 2008) and second-language learning (Fitton, McIlraith, & Wood, 2018). Specifically, highly interactive book reading, in which children hear open-ended questions that invite them to reason, draw inferences and transcend the here-and-now, support children's language learning, in both short- (Wasik, Bond, & Hindman, 2006) and long term (Dickinson & Smith, 1994).…”