American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology Vol.21 47-63 February 2012. doi:10.1044/1058-0360(2011/11-0002)
© American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
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Research Article

Facilitating Emergent Literacy: Efficacy of a Model That Partners Speech-Language Pathologists and Educators

Luigi Girolamettoa
Elaine Weitzmanb
Janice Greenbergb
a University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada
b The Hanen Centre, Toronto

Correspondence to Luigi Girolametto: l.girolametto{at}utoronto.ca

Purpose: This study examined the efficacy of a professional development program for early childhood educators that facilitated emergent literacy skills in preschoolers. The program, led by a speech-language pathologist, focused on teaching alphabet knowledge, print concepts, sound awareness, and decontextualized oral language within naturally occurring classroom interactions.

Method: Twenty educators were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Educators each recruited 3 to 4 children from their classrooms to participate. The experimental group participated in 18 hr of group training and 3 individual coaching sessions with a speech-language pathologist. The effects of intervention were examined in 30 min of videotaped interaction, including storybook reading and a post-story writing activity.

Results: At posttest, educators in the experimental group used a higher rate of utterances that included print/sound references and decontextualized language than the control group. Similarly, the children in the experimental group used a significantly higher rate of utterances that included print/sound references and decontextualized language compared to the control group.

Conclusion: These findings suggest that professional development provided by a speech-language pathologist can yield short-term changes in the facilitation of emergent literacy skills in early childhood settings. Future research is needed to determine the impact of this program on the children's long-term development of conventional literacy skills.

Key Words: literacy, preschool, professional development, early childhood settings, language


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