A new study has recently been funded to investigate whether the Nuffield Language4Reading project, which evaluated a school-based oral language intervention focusing on children with English as their first language, will show equally positive results with bilingual children in reception classes.
The Nuffield Language4Reading project involved 15 schools and feeder-nurseries across Yorkshire. A member of staff from each of the Early Years settings was trained to deliver a language intervention programme which targeted three key areas: vocabulary knowledge, narrative and listening skills, with phonics work included in the later stages. Children took part in three group sessions each week, supplemented by individual work once they entered school.
After 30 weeks, the children who had received the intervention showed wide-ranging improvements in expressive language skills, including the use of vocabulary and grammar, while gains in letter-sound knowledge and spelling indicated that the foundations of phonics are in place.
The Nuffield Foundation has now funded a second study to focus particularly on bilingual children and to consider whether this targeted language intervention will improve their oral language skills and whether their response is similar to their English speaking peers. The programme used will be adapted to incorporate culturally sensitive materials.
The project will be led by language and communication researchers from the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University; and Uuniversity College London and will conclude in 2014.
