College of Education: Teaching and Learning The Effects of Teachers’ Integration of High versus Low Levels of Dialogic Reading Discourse On English Language Learners (ELL) Kindergarten and First Grade Children’s Literacy Skills Isela S. Rodriguez College of Education: Teaching and Learning May 21, 2012 Florida International University

Introduction Learning to read is an intricate process that children need to master at a young age in order to function in a literate world. It is a process that begins at infancy and supported during the early growth stages at home by families and adult care-givers prior to entering formal schooling in kindergarten (Teale & Sulzby 1986; Lonigan, & Arnold 1994; Arnold et al, 1994) . English Language Learners (ELL) are amongst the largest population who struggle with overall literacy skills, more specifically with vocabulary and comprehension (Hickman, Pollard-Durodola, & Vaughn, 2004)

Introduction It has been found that a major element in fostering the development of ELL learners’ vocabulary and overall literacy skills is for adults to read aloud picture books to children where the adult prompted the child into dialogue about the book (Valdez-Menchaca & Whitehurst, 1992) Studies have evidenced that storybook reading is directly correlated to the children’s development of language and literacy skills (Lonigan & Whitehurst, 1998) Shared reading experiences and picture storybook reading experiences where the children are given opportunity to interact and to engage in dialogue is paramount in developing Hispanic ELL learners’ vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension.

Introduction During the past 20 years research conducted on Dialogic Reading interventions and strategies have evidenced the ELL’s literacy skills are developed and supported in the acquisition language, new vocabulary building, and understanding of text in English (Valdez-Menchaca & Whitehurst, 1992).

Problem Statement Learning to read is a complex phenomenon which is impacted by a young child’s socio-cultural environment, abilities, skills, and cognitive processes. The number of ELL learners in this country has doubled in numbers and, yet, it remains that only 20% of those children commencing school are ready to immerse in the learning of literacy skills and language development. ELL are amongst the largest group of leaners who struggle with literacy skills from the onset in the beginning of their academic trajectory in English (Hickman, Pollard-Durodola, & Vaughn, 2004).

Problem Statement No Child Left Behind (2001) federal statutes of having children perform on standardized reading assessments. ELL children must demonstrate reading proficiency in standardized assessments in all primary grade levels is expected to be at the same level of their English-speaking peers. Grade retention of these learners is a predictor that in their later academic years, they will drop out of high school and most likely not attend college.

Problem Statement Growing population of ELL children in schools, educators and researchers are continually seeking new avenues in which to teach language and literacy skills for children for whom English is a second language (Collins, 2004). DR research has been restricted to pre-school ELL children, home-learning, and groups of mixed ethnic minority populations Area of inquiry is limited or non-existent-whether differentiated level of dialogic reading discourse in formal school setting with solely Hispanic kindergarten or upper primary ELL children in a low-socioeconomic area impact their literacy skills.

Purpose of Study Identify reading performance differences of Hispanic ELL kindergarten and first grade students’ reading skills when teacher-led Dialogic Reading discourse was integrated into the language arts and reading instructional block. Review the differentiated effects Dialogic Reading discourse has on ELL kindergarten and first grade children’s vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension of text as evidenced in their end of the year SAT results Information will add to the body of research surrounding dialogic reading as research-based strategies that field teachers can resort to in the instruction of ELL primary learners

Research Questions Question 1: Is there a difference between students vocabulary knowledge for students who received high versus low levels of dialogic reading discourse during the storybook reading sessions? Subset Question 1a: Is there a difference for kindergarten students’ vocabulary knowledge? Subset Question 1b: Is there a difference for first grade students’ vocabulary knowledge? Subset Question 1c: Is there differentiated effects between the two levels of discourse? Subset Question 1d: Is there differentiated significance between one and the other, the level of dialogic reading discourse strategies and the grade level of students?

Research Questions Question 2: Is there a difference between students reading comprehension for students who received high versus low levels of dialogic reading discourse during the storybook reading sessions? Subset Question 2a: Is there a difference for kindergarten students’ reading comprehension? Subset Question 2b: Is there a difference for first grade students’ reading comprehension? Subset Question 2c: Is there differentiated effects between the two levels of discourse? Subset Question 2d: Is there differentiated significance between one or the other, the level of dialogic reading discourse strategies and the grade level of students? 10

Hypotheses Hypothesis 1: There a difference between students vocabulary knowledge for students who received high versus low levels of dialogic reading discourse during the storybook reading sessions as measured by Stanford Achievement Test (SAT. Hypothesis 1a: Kindergarten students who receive high levels of dialogic reading discourse strategies will score better in vocabulary knowledge as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) than kindergarten students who receive low levels. Hypothesis 1b: First grade receive high levels of dialogic reading discourse strategies will score better in vocabulary knowledge as measured by the Stanford Achievement (SAT) than first grade students who receive low levels. Hypothesis 1c: There differentiated effects between the two levels of discourse as measured by study data analysis.

Hypotheses Hypothesis 1d: There is differentiated significance between on or the other, the level of dialogic reading discourse strategies and the grade level of students. First grade students will have higher effect in vocabulary knowledge than kindergarten students as evidenced by the study results.

Hypotheses Hypothesis 2: There a difference between students reading comprehension for students who received high versus low levels of dialogic reading discourse during the storybook reading sessions as measured by Stanford Achievement Test (SAT). Hypothesis 2a: First grade students who receive high levels of dialogic reading discourse strategies will score better in reading comprehension as measured by the Stanford Achievement Test (SAT) than first grade students who receive low levels. Hypothesis 2b: First grade receive high levels of dialogic reading discourse strategies will score better in vocabulary knowledge as measured by the Stanford Achievement (SAT) than first grade students who receive low levels.

Hypothesis 2c: There differentiated effects between the two levels of discourse as measured by study data analysis. Hypothesis 2d: There is differentiated significance between on or the other, the level of dialogic reading discourse strategies and the grade level of students. First grade students will have higher effect in reading comprehension than kindergarten students as evidenced by the study results.

Theoretical Frameworks Vygotsky (1962, 1978) Social Interaction Learning Theory Children construct knowledge through interactions in a social setting Social context cannot be separated for learning development as learning is a social activity Learning leads to new development when children can make meaning of the world around them Language is the primordial tool in the child’s development and serves as social in which children can experiment with oral and written expressions In order for learning to take place, children must engage in interactions

Theoretical Vygotsky Zone of Proximal (ZPD) and Scaffolding A gap between the zone of the child’s actual development level and the level of potential development. A gap occurs while a learner is engaged in a challenging activity that cannot be independently completed and needs support in the completion of the activity “Teachers mediate or augment the child’s ability to perform various learning tasks by providing guidance and support primarily through social dialogue” (p. 15). (Dixon-Krauss, 1996)

Theoretical Gee (2001) Studies contended that language development is situated situations. Language development is connected and situated in experiences and in interactions in the world as the child experiences it

Significance of Study Developing strong early literacy skills at a young age is a predictor of reading achievement in later academic years of all learners. Providing children with book reading practices have evidenced long-term positive impact on children’s reading (DeTemple & Snow, 2003). Based on the high risk of ELL primary learners in the acquisition of sustained literacy skills, it is eminent that teachers integrate instructional techniques that promote students reading success and achievement at all levels of formal schooling. Shared picture book reading in the form of DR discourse allows the child to engage in interactive dialogue to build language and literacy skills of these learners (Valdez-Menchaca & Whitehurst, 1992)

Delimitations The results of this study was concentrated in the kindergarten and first grade class of a 99% Hispanic population urban school in the Miami Dade County School District. Although the demographics of the urban area are varied, the small sample size, the targeted grade levels, and the ethnic composition of the sampled population may limit its implementation in other regions. The short duration of the study limited the number of observations to be analyzed. Materials utilized where focused only on using story picture books from the specific Read Together Talk Together Dialogic Reading curriculum

Operational Definitions Reading Comprehension- referred to the child’s ability to understand, to make meaning, and to construct new knowledge through dialogue of the story’s written text, pictures, storyline, and story elements. Vocabulary Knowledge - can be defined as the words a child knows, can pronounce it, understand its meaning in different contexts, and is able to covey understanding in communicating with others utilizing the word. Shared Book Reading is defined as a teacher reading aloud and given children the opportunities to become engaged participants in the dialogue by asking questions surrounding the pictures, text, characters, and storyline.

Definitions Dialogic Reading Discourse Encompasses the open-ended discourse prompted by the adult reader during the shared storybook reading in order to build ELL learners’ vocabulary knowledge and story comprehension.

Summary The development of strong reading skills at a young age is a crucial element for children to experience success in their learning. (Durkin, 1966) For ELL children, being literate in English is a viable tool for them to be able to function in a literate world. The results and findings of this research study on Dialogic Reading Discourse will assist teachers in identifying and planning reading intervention strategies that will benefit young ELL readers in the development of literacy skills in English.

Reference Arnold, D. H., Lonigan, C. J., Whitehurst, G. J., & Epstein, J. N. (1994). Accelerating language development through picture book reading: Replication and extension to a videotape training format. Journal of Educational Psychology, 86, 235-243. Collins, M. F. (2004) ESL preschoolers’ English vocabulary acquisition from storybook reading. Reading Research Quarterly, 40(4), 406-408. DeTemple, J., & Snow, C. E. (2003). Learning words from books. In On Reading Books to Children: Parents and Teachers, edited by E. B. Bauer, S. A. Stahl &d A. Van Kleeck. Mahwah, N.J.: Erlbaum. Dixon-Krauss, L (1996). Vygotsky in the classroom: Mediated literacy assessment and I Instruction. White Plains, NY: Longman Publications. Durkin, D. (1966) Children who read early: Two Longitudinal Studies. New York: Teachers College Press. Gee, J. P. (2001) Reading as a situated language: A sociocognitive perspective. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 44(8), 714-725. Hickman, P., Pollard-Durodola, S., & Vaughn, S. (2004). Storybook reading: Improving vocabulary and comprehension for English-language learners. The Reading Teacher, 57(8), 720-730.

Reference Whitehurst, G. J. (1994). Dialogic Reading: Headstart, K, and pre-K. Available from G. J. Whitehurst, State University at Stony Brook, NY, 11794-2500. Whitehurst, G. J., & Lonigan, C. J. (1998). Child Development and emergent literacy. Child Development,69, 848-872. Teale, W. H., & Sulzby, E. (1986). Emergent literacy: Writing and reading. reading. Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation. Valdez-Menchaca, M. C., & Whitehurst, G. J. (1992). Accelerating language development through picture book reading: A systematic extension to Mexican day care. Developmental Psychology, 28(6), 1106-1114. Vygotsky, L.S. (1962). Thought and Language. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press. Vygotsky, L. S. (1978) Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.