The Linguistic Environment of Early Childhood Classrooms During Summer

Principal Investigator:
Eleni Zgourou

Co-PIs:
Samantha Kaufman, Haley Karabinchak, Wilson Rodrigues

Abstract:
The purpose of this study was to examine the linguistic strategies preschool teachers use when they interact with children in classrooms during the summer. Teachers were video-recorded during their interactions with children in three parts of the day: meal time, free play, and circle time. Teachers’ linguistic strategies were assessed using an interval-based coding scheme, documenting ten linguistic strategies. Overall, findings showed that limited linguistic strategies took place during teacher-child interactions. Comparing the interactions across the three parts of the day, linguistic strategies were implement more frequently during the free time whereas during the large group discussions, those strategies were the least frequent.

Description of Research:
Early childhood teachers have a unique opportunity to engage children in rich language interactions, asking a variety of questions, introducing new words, and expanding on children’s ideas and feelings (Dickinson, et al., 2008). Thus, exposing children to rich language interactions is particularly beneficial for their language development (Dickinson & Porche, 2011), which in turn facilitates later academic success (Lonigan et al., 2008).

Most studies, however, have focused on the teacher-child language interactions occurring during the academic year (e.g., Bratch-Hines et al., 2019). Given that many children experience learning loss during the summer partly due to the limited high-quality learning experiences to which they are exposed during that period of time (Johnson et al., 2015; Kim & Quinn, 2013), the purpose of the study was to examine teacher-child language interactions during the summer months.

Teacher-child language interactions were video-recorded in five classrooms in three parts of the day: meal time, circle time, and free play. An interval-based coding scheme, measuring teachers’ ten linguistic strategies based on the Teacher Interaction and Language Rating Scale (TILRS; M. Girolametto, et al., 2000) was adopted. Overall, findings showed that teachers engage children in infrequent language interactions, utilizing limited linguistic strategies. Comparing teacher-child language interactions across the three parts of the day, teachers seemed to engage children in more conversations during free play. Conversations during meal time were among the least frequent contrary to the notion that meal time provides opportunities for richer decontextualized talk (Dickinson & Porche, 2011; Neuman, 2004). Implications for practice and research will be discussed.

References
Bratsch-Hines, M. E., Burchinal, M., Peisner-Feinberg, E., & Franco, X. (2019). Frequency of instructional practices in rural prekindergarten classrooms and associations with child language and literacy skills. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 47, 74 –88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2018.09.002

Dickinson, D. K., & Porche, M. V. (2011). Relation between language experiences in preschool classrooms and children’s kindergarten and fourth-grade language and reading abilities. Child Development, 82, 870–886. http://dx.doi.org/10. 1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01576.x

Girolametto, L. & Weitzman, L. (2002). “Responsiveness of Child Care Providers in Interactions with Toddlers and Preschoolers.” Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools 33: 268–281

Johnson, J., Riley, J., Ryan, C., & Kelly-Vance, L. (2015). Evaluation of a summer reading program to reduce summer setback. Reading & Writing Quarterly, 31, 334–350. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10573569.2013.857978

Kim, J. S., & Quinn, D. M. (2013). Effects of summer reading on low-income children’s literacy achievement from kindergarten to grade 8: A meta-analysis of classroom and home interventions. Review of Educational Research, 83(3), 386–431. http://dx.doi.org/10.3102/0034654313483906

Lonigan, C.J., Schatschneider C., & Westberg L. (2008). Identification of children’s skills and abilities linked to later outcomes in reading, writing, and spelling. In The National Early Literacy Panel (ed.) Developing Early Literacy (pp. 55–106). Jessup, MD: National Institute for Literacy

Neuman, S. B. (2004). “The Effect of Print-rich Classroom Environments on Early Literacy Growth.” The Reading Teacher 58 (1): 89