Emporia State UniversityEmporia State UniversityLI 810 XCLI 810 XC

Research and Inquiry in Library Research and Inquiry in Library and Information Scienceand Information Science

Teresa Harper, Becky Corning &Teresa Harper, Becky Corning &

Ken MilesKen Miles

March 6, 2009March 6, 2009

http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/misc/about.shtml

• Peer-reviewed

• Audience - General medical professionals and pediatricians

Social ResearchSocial Research

The Impact of a The Impact of a Clinic-Based Clinic-Based Literacy Literacy Intervention on Intervention on Language Language Development in Development in Inner-City Inner-City Preschool Preschool ChildrenChildren

Copyright 2001Copyright 2001

www.reachoutandread.org

Reach Out and ReadReach Out and Read

ObjectiveObjective

To determine the effect of a To determine the effect of a clinic-based literacy intervention clinic-based literacy intervention on the expressive and receptive on the expressive and receptive language development of language development of preschool children.preschool children.

DescriptionDescription

Unit of AnalysesUnit of Analyses

LatinosLatinos African-AmericansAfrican-Americans

Clinic population not included: Clinic population not included: Whites, Native Americans, East Whites, Native Americans, East Asian and South AsianAsian and South Asian

Purpose of Social ResearchPurpose of Social Research

DescriptionDescription ExplanationExplanation

The results are in …The results are in …

The researchers in this study demonstrated an

enhancement of language in inner-city preschool children participating in Reach Out

and Read.

The results are in …The results are in …

Reach Out and Read has beneficial effects on • Receptive language

and• Expressive language

Subjects for StudySubjects for Study

122 study participants122 study participants Children age 2 to 5.9 years old, not Children age 2 to 5.9 years old, not

attending kindergarten.attending kindergarten. Primary caretaker had to be available for Primary caretaker had to be available for

interview on day of presentationinterview on day of presentation

MeasurementMeasurement

Reading ActivitiesReading Activities READ Subscale of the StimQREAD Subscale of the StimQ

Language DevelopmentLanguage Development Receptive One-Word Picture Receptive One-Word Picture

Vocabulary TestVocabulary Test Expressive One-Word Picture Expressive One-Word Picture

Vocabulary TestVocabulary Test

Literature reviewLiterature review

McCormick, CE. (Ed.). (1986). Intervention procedures for increasing preschool children's interest in and knowledge about reading. In: Teale WH, Sulzby E, eds. In Emergent Literacy: Writing and Reading Norwood, NJ: Ablex Publishing Corporation.

Rural Illinois Distribution of books, information

about reading distributed Associated with decreased placement

in low reading groups

Literature reviewLiterature review

Whitehurst, GJ, Falco, FL, & Lonigan, CJ (1988). Accelerating language development through picture book reading. Dev Psychol. 24, 552-559.

Suffolk County, Long Island Parent-child verbal interactions Improvement in language

Literature reviewLiterature review

Reach Out and Read National Center, Boston Medical Center. (1999). Reach Out and Read Program Manual (2nd ed.) [Brochure]. Boston, MA: P. Klass.

More recent research Pediatric visits viewed as unique

opportunity Improvement in language

Literature reviewLiterature review

High, PC, LaGasse L, Becker S, Ahlgren I, Gardner A. (2000). Literacy promotion in primary care pediatrics: can we make a difference? Pediatrics.

Clinic-based literacy interventions on language outcomes

18-to-25-month-old children

Who conducted Who conducted the research?the research?

2 investigators overseeing 2 investigators overseeing 6 research assistants6 research assistants

Information not provided: Information not provided: Who paid for the study?Who paid for the study?

Sampling: Sampling: Convenience sampleConvenience sample

““Grab” or “opportunity” Grab” or “opportunity” samplingsampling

Nonprobability methodNonprobability method Vulnerable to sampling Vulnerable to sampling

errorerror

Sampling: Sampling: Convenience sampleConvenience sample

Question: Question:

““Is there good reason to believe Is there good reason to believe that a particular convenience that a particular convenience sample would or should respond sample would or should respond or behave differently than a or behave differently than a random sample from the same random sample from the same population?”population?”

ExperimentsExperiments

Intervention group - three years Intervention group - three years of Reach Out and Read of Reach Out and Read

Comparison group - three Comparison group - three months before studymonths before study

ExperimentsExperiments

1. While families waited to see their pediatrician, volunteers and/or staff members sat with children on large playmats and modeled reading activities.

2. While families waited to see their pediatrician, volunteers and/or staff members approached families and discussed the importance of reading.

ExperimentsExperiments

3. Pediatricians counseled families about the importance and fun of reading.

4. Pediatricians distributed developmentally appropriate books to families at each American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)-recommended well-child visit.

Quantitative: Parents were Quantitative: Parents were interviewed about number of interviewed about number of books, frequency of reading, books, frequency of reading, reading activities - parental reading activities - parental reports used to measure reports used to measure interventionintervention

Qualitative: Researchers looked Qualitative: Researchers looked for changes over timefor changes over time

Purpose and DesignPurpose and Design

Additional findingAdditional finding

Not predicted or studied: Not predicted or studied: Children still scored lower than Children still scored lower than US sampleUS sample

Some QuestionsSome Questions

ResearchersResearchers BudgetBudget

How can findings be How can findings be generalized?generalized?

ROR is an important intervention for impoverished preschool children:

• Promotes parental literacy support • Enhances language development in

impoverished preschool children. • Integration into routine pediatric

health care recommended.