NN Phase 3: School Readiness (2009-2014)

Purpose

To evaluate the efficacy of the Nuestros Niños intervention to promote school readiness for Spanish-speaking dual language learners (DLLs)

Research Questions

  1. Do Spanish speaking young DLLs in classrooms receiving the Nuestros Niños pre-kindergarten
    intervention make greater gains in language, literacy, math and socio-emotional outcomes in their prekindergarten
    year compared to their peers in control classrooms?
  2. Do any specific child, family, teacher, or classroom factors moderate the efficacy of the Nuestros Niños
    intervention on child outcomes in the pre-kindergarten year?
  3. Is there a larger treatment effect in young DLLs in classrooms in the second year of the intervention
    compared to young DLLs in classrooms in the first year of the intervention?
  4. Do Spanish speaking young DLLs who attended classrooms receiving the Nuestros Niños prekindergarten
    intervention make greater gains in language, literacy, math and socio-emotional outcomes at the end of
    kindergarten compared to their peers who attended control classrooms?
  5. Do any specific child, family, teacher or program factors moderate the efficacy of the Nuestros Niños prekindergarten intervention on child outcomes at the end of kindergarten?

Settings

  • Pre-kindergarten programs in North Carolina and California
  • High quality classrooms (NC: 4-5 Start Rating System; CA: 5 Step Rating System)
  • Non-prescriptive curriculum (e.g., Creative curriculum, High Scope)
  • Teacher with BA or AA working towards BA
  • Primary language of Instruction is English
  • 25%-75% Spanish-speaking DLLs

Data Collection

  • Fall and Spring in Pre-K year and Spring in K year
    • Classroom observations
    • Child assessments (in English & Spanish)
    • Teacher questionnaire
  • Family interview (once a year)

Child and Family Characteristics

  • Acculturation:
    • Stephenson Multigroup
    • Acculturation Scale (SMAS)
  • Nuestros Niños Family Interview
    • Demographic information
    • Home language use
    • Home literacy activities

Program & Teacher Characteristics

  • Program/Classroom
    • Program and classroom information forms (e.g., type of license, national accreditation status, classroom staff-child ratio, percentage of Spanish speaking children enrolled, presence of bilingual staff)
  • Teacher
    • Demographic form (e.g., level of education,professional experience, race/ethnicity, age)
    • Parental Modernity Scale

Classroom Outcome Measures

  • Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS)
  • Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO) Addendum for DLLs
  • Language Interaction Snapshot (LISn)

Child Outcome Measures

English and Spanish Versions

  • Oral Language Measures
    • Receptive One Word Picture Vocabulary Test (Bilingual-ROWPVT)
    • Picture vocabulary subtest (WJ-III)
    • Receptive English Vocabulary Probe (REVP)
  • Reading Measures
    • Letter word identification (WJ-III)
    • Phonological awareness tasks
  • Writing Measures
    • Writing tasks
  • Math Measures
    • TEMA-III
  • Socio-Emotional Development
    • Conners’ Parent Rating Scales–Revised (CPRS-R:L)
    • Conners’ Teacher Rating Scales–Revised (CTRS-R:L)
    • Social Competence and Behavior Evaluation: Teacher & Parent version

Instructional Framework Principles of Nuestros Niños Intervention

  1. Teaching should build on children’s prior knowledge to provide context and meaning to the learning experience.
  2. The central role of culture in children’s development should be taken into consideration when designing and implementing practices to support young DLLs’ development and learning.
  3. Bilingualism should be seen as an asset that have the potential to positively impact children’s development and become a source of family strength.
  4. A positive socio-emotional classroom climate promotes learning.
  5. Teachers are mediators in the learning process.
  6. Teaching should build on children’s strengths to reach their full potential.

Professional Development Components

  • Four-Day Institute
    • Participants learn key concepts and strategies using the Nuestros Niños Participant Handbook. Concepts are embedded in hands-on activities and assignments.
  • Consultation (10 -12 meetings)
    • Bilingual consultant & teacher identify classrooms goals & teacher implements effective instructional strategies from the Nuestros Niños Program.
  • Professional Learning Community (8 – 10 meetings)
    • Teachers use principles and strategies of the Nuestros Niños Program to collaboratively design and implement a lesson plan, and receive feedback from each other.

The Nuestros Niños Handbook: Content Areas

  • Early childhood education for dual language learners
    • Classroom quality
    • Family engagement
    • Considerations in the assessment of DLLs
  • Oral language development
    • Bilingual language development in young children.
    • Components of Oral language development in DLLs
    • Listening and speaking in two languages
    • Promoting vocabulary
  • Early literacy development
    • Components of Early literacy in DLLs
    • Promoting phonological awareness
    • Components of early reading and how they unfold in DLLs
    • Reading aloud to DLLs
    • Phases of early writing and how they unfold in DLLs
    • Promoting early writing in children who are DLLs
  • Socio-emotional development
    • Creating supportive environments for young DLLs
    • Facilitating the development of effective teacher-child relationships
    • Promoting positive peer interactions
  • Early math development
    • Development of academic English in areas of mathematics
    • Development of mathematical terminology(e.g., number, pattern)
    • Developing familiarity with and the use of the language of mathematics among young DLLs