Topic: Academic Performance, Early Intervention, School Readiness
Target Population: Early Childhood
Sector: School-Based
This program is for children who are in preschool.
Dialogic Reading, a school- or family-based program, is an interactive picture-book reading technique that is designed to increase a child’s emergent literacy skills.
Multiple randomized controlled trials have been conducted on Dialogic Reading. Mixed results were found when Dialogic Reading was compared to average reading groups. One study exhibited significant results for Dialogic Reading over a typical reading group, whereas another study exhibited no discernible differences between the two groups. Many of the studies were unable to show fidelity to implementation during the experiments, which resulted in mixed findings between groups. One independent evaluation exhibited significant results for expressive and receptive language when compared to a typical reading control, but no further studies have shown similar results.
Dialogic Reading uses a reading style method in which an adult (i.e., teacher or parent) encourages the child to become the teller of the story and helps children become active participants in reading by using the PEER technique:
The following five types of prompts are used in Dialogic Reading, and they form the acronym CROWD:
Except for the first time reading a book to a child, adults should use this PEER technique on nearly every page. Sometimes adults can read the written words on the page and, then, prompt the child to say something; however, adults should do less and less reading of the written words each time they read a book to a child.
The extent to which this program has been implemented is unknown.
Currently, no formalized training on the use of Dialogic Reading could be located. Please use details in the Contact section to learn more.
Considerations for implementing this program include ensuring teachers familiarize themselves with the method and deliver the program with fidelity, confirming a sufficient teacher/child ratio, acquiring teacher and participant buy-in, finding time to carry out daily sessions, and purchasing or acquiring suitable books.
The Clearinghouse can help address these considerations. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
If you are interested in implementing Dialogic Reading, the Clearinghouse is interested in helping you!
Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Dialogic Reading is implemented daily for 10 to 15 minutes in small groups of up to five children or on a one-on-one basis.
The cost of Dialogic Reading materials varies depending on how many picture books are used.
To move Dialogic Reading to the Promising category on the Clearinghouse Continuum of Evidence, at least one evaluation should be performed demonstrating positive effects lasting at least six months from program completion.
The Clearinghouse can help you develop an evaluation plan to ensure the program components are meeting your goals. Please call 1-877-382-9185 or email Clearinghouse@psu.edu
Contact the Clearinghouse with any questions regarding this program.
Phone: 1-877-382-9185 Email: Clearinghouse@psu.edu
You may also contact Reading Rockets by mail WETA Public Television, 2775 S. Quincy St., Arlington, VA 22206, or visit https://www.readingrockets.org/contact
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Lonigan, C. J., Anthony, J. L., Bloomfield, B. G., Dyer, S. M., & Samwel, C. S. (1999). Effects of two shared-reading interventions on emergent literacy skills of at-risk preschoolers. Journal of Early Intervention, 22(4), 306-322. https://doi.org/10.1177/105381519902200406
Lonigan, C. J., & Whitehurst, G. J. (1998). Relative efficacy of parent and teacher involvement in a shared-reading intervention for preschool children from low-income backgrounds. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 13(2), 263-290. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0885-2006(99)80038-6
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Wasik, B. A., & Bond, M. A. (2001). Beyond the pages of a book: Interactive book reading and language development in preschool classrooms. Journal of Educational Psychology, 93(2), 243-250. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-0663.93.2.243
Whitehurst, G. J., Arnold, D. S., Epstein, J. N., Angell, A. L., Smith, M., & Fischel, J. E. (1994). A picture book reading intervention in day care and home for children from low-income families. Developmental Psychology, 30(5), 679-689. https://doi.org/10.1037/0012-1649.30.5.679
Kennedy, C., & McLoughlin, A. (2023). Developing the emergent literacy skills of English language learners through dialogic reading: A systematic review. Early Childhood Education Journal, 51(2), 317-332. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-021-01291-1
Pillinger, C., & Vardy, E. J. (2022). The story so far: A systematic review of the dialogic reading literature. Journal of Research in Reading. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9817.12407
Towson, J. A., Fettig, A., Fleury, V. P., & Abarca, D. L. (2017). Dialogic reading in early childhood settings: A summary of the evidence base. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 37(3), 132-146. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121417724875
Goodrich, J. M., Lonigan, C. J., & Farver, J. M. (2013). Do early literacy skills in children's first language promote development of skills in their second language? An experimental evaluation of transfer. Journal of Educational Psychology, 105(2), 414-426. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0031780
Huennekens, M. E., & Xu, Y. (2016). Using dialogic reading to enhance emergent literacy skills of young dual language learners. Early Child Development and Care, 186(2), 324-340. https://doi.org/10.1080/03004430.2015.1031125
Strouse, G. A., O'Doherty, K., & Troseth, G. L. (2013). Effective coviewing: Preschoolers' learning from video after a dialogic questioning intervention. Developmental Psychology, 49(12), 2368-2382. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0032463
Towson, J. A., Gallagher, P. A., & Bingham, G. E. (2016). Dialogic reading: Language and preliteracy outcomes for young children with disabilities. Journal of Early Intervention, 38(4), 230-246. https://doi.org/10.1177/1053815116668643
