Dialogic Reading

Abstract

Dialogic reading is an evidence-based practice for preschool children who are typically developing or at-risk; yet there is limited research to evaluate if it has similar positive effects on the language and preliteracy skills of children with disabilities. This quasi-experimental study examined the effects of dialogic reading, with the incorporation of pause time, on the language and preliteracy skills of 42 preschool children with disabilities. Following random assignment of students at the classroom level, participants were equally distributed into an intervention ( n = 21) and a comparison group ( n = 21). Children received either dialogic reading or typical storybook reading for 10 to 15 min per day, 3 days per week, for 6 weeks. Children in the intervention group scored significantly higher on receptive and expressive near-transfer vocabulary assessments. This occurred both for words that were specifically targeted during dialogic reading, and for additional vocabulary words in the storybook.

Comprehending Science Writing: The Promise of Dialogic Reading for Supporting Upper Elementary Deaf Students

“…There was an immediate change in level after the first intervention session which was maintained across all three intervention tiers, suggesting that the DR approach provided the scaffolding that Arjun needed to access and comprehend the text. Although there has already been ample evidence that DR is a successful strategy to use for students with disabilities (Fleury & Schwartz, 2017; Morgan & Meier, 2008; Rahn et al, 2016; Towson et al, 2016) and emergent readers (Chlapana, 2016; Cohrssen et al, 2016; Huennekens & Xu, 2016; Maine, 2013; Pillinger & Wood, 2014), there are few studies that explore DR with deaf readers, and none on how DR may improve deaf readers’ comprehension. The current data, though insufficient to draw general conclusions, suggest DR can be successful in this context.…”

“…This multiple baseline across content probe design study focused on vocabulary acquisition rather than type of comprehension question responses and did not find these same carryover effects (Trussell & Easterbrooks, 2014). In fact, a majority of studies of DR measure vocabulary acquisition rather than comprehension as the primary outcome among children with disabilities or who are deaf (Fung et al, 2005; Morgan & Meier, 2008; Rahn et al, 2016; Towson et al, 2016; Trussell and Easterbrooks, 2014) and did not find similar effects. There are a couple of possibilities as to why these effects occurred in this study, which are explored below.…”

“…DR also seems effective for children with disabilities. Targeted vocabulary knowledge has been shown to improve after DR instruction for a generalized group of children with disabilities (Towson et al, 2016) as well as for children with developmental disabilities (Rahn et al, 2016), autism (Fleury & Schwartz, 2017), and those considered at risk of reading difficulty (Morgan & Meier, 2008). Although minimal research has examined outcomes for children with disabilities outside of vocabulary acquisition, there is some evidence that DR can improve participation during a book reading session for children with autism (Fleury & Schwartz, 2017).…”

“…Often, DR is used to support children’s ability to access and comprehend narrative texts, frequently among children in preschool through mid-elementary school. Although there is abundant research on the use of DR with young hearing children (Chlapana, 2016; Cohrssen, Niklas, & Tayler, 2016; Huennekens & Xu, 2016; Maine, 2013; Pillinger & Wood, 2014) or children with disabilities (Fleury & Schwartz, 2017; Morgan & Meier, 2008; Rahn, Coogle, & Storie, 2016; Towson, Gallagher, & Bingham, 2016), little research has documented the use of DR for literacy with deaf 1 students (Fung, Chow, & McBride-Chen, 2005). Given the promise of this strategy as potentially effective tool for reading instruction, more research on the use of DR among deaf children and the range of texts and ages for which it is effective is needed.…”

Effects of Dialogic Reading in a Special Day Class

“…During this study, the students were placed in small groups of three to five and pulled from regular classroom activities during dialogic reading activities and then returned afterwards. The study demonstrated positive results (Towson, Gallagher & Bingham, 2016).…”