Read Alouds and Beyond: The Effects of Read Aloud Extension Activities on Vocabulary in Head Start Classrooms

Abstract

A study was conducted in 26 Head Start classrooms with 264 children to compare the effect of a read aloud plus extension activities intervention over a control group to the effect of a read aloud only intervention over a control group on preschool children's vocabulary. Children were assessed before and after the intervention on target vocabulary and general vocabulary measures. Research Findings: The results suggest that the effects of the read aloud plus intervention were stronger than the effects of the read aloud only intervention on target word learning. In addition, the effects of the read aloud plus intervention on target word learning were stronger for children with higher versus lower general vocabulary knowledge. Neither intervention had an effect on general word knowledge. Practice or Policy: Observation and fidelity data are used to contextualize the findings, and the results are discussed in light of the extant literature on preschool vocabulary interventions.

Notes

Note. All values are percentages of children within each condition except for age, which is presented as mean (SD).

Note. Teachers were given a score of 1 if they defined a word and a score of 0 if they did not define a word during each of the time periods listed in the table. Teachers were observed twice. Scores were averaged across the two observations. Thus, if teachers defined a word during an activity on one observation but not on the other, they scored 0.50. Finally, scores were averaged across teachers by condition to derive the means and standard deviations in the table.

Note. PPVT scores are standard scores. TVA = target vocabulary assessment; PPVT = Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–4.

Note. TVA = target vocabulary assessment; PPVT = Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–4; GED = general equivalency diploma; AIC = Akaike's information criterion.

^a Below the Head Start income threshold.

^b Compared to White (Asian and “other” categories were collapsed because there were so few Asians in the sample).

^c Compared to master's degree.

^d Compared to the control condition.

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .011.

Note. PPVT = Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–4; GED = general equivalency diploma; AIC = Akaike's information criterion.

^a Below the Head Start income threshold.

^b Compared to White (Asian and “other” categories were collapsed because there were so few Asians in the sample).

^c Compared to master's degree.

^d Compared to the control condition.

*p < .05. **p < .01. ***p < .011.

Note. The words in bold were the words assessed on the target vocabulary assessment.