Longitudinal Impacts of Print-Focused Read-Alouds for Children With Language Impairment

Preschoolers with language impairment (LI) are prime candidates for early-literacy interventions, given their susceptibility for future reading difficulties. To date, most studies of early-literacy interventions for this population has assessed short-term impacts, with limited attention to whether initial effects are sustained over time. This study was designed to evaluate longitudinal impacts of print-focused read-alouds implemented by early childhood special education teachers for a clinic sample of children with LI.

Assessment data available for 172 children with LI were analyzed to examine their print knowledge 1-year postintervention. Measures examined children's alphabet knowledge, print concepts, and name-writing skills, which were used to derive a print-knowledge composite.

Results of hierarchical linear models examining children's print knowledge at 1-year postintervention showed that the effect size (d = 0.20) favoring the treatment group was similar to that observed one year prior (d = 0.21) at the end of intervention, suggesting that results did not fade over time. Results also showed that children with LI and comorbid low nonverbal cognition benefited the most from the intervention delivered 1 year earlier.

The maintenance of short-term effects to 1-year postintervention supports the value of early childhood teachers using print-focused read-alouds to improve the early-literacy skills of children with LI in their classrooms.