On July 10th we presented the RCT findings at the Child Language Symposium in Newcastle. Our abstract and a recording of the presentation are below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Abstract<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The provision of language enriching early years environments in early childhood education A video of this presentation is on the LIVELY website: Publications | Language Intervention in the Early Years | Newcastle University (ncl.ac.uk)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" On July 10th we presented the RCT findings at the Child Language Symposium in Newcastle. Our abstract and a recording of the presentation are below. Abstract The provision of language enriching early years environments in early childhood educationand care (ECEC) … Continue reading
and care (ECEC) is vital to children\u2019s language development. Ensuring all children have
access to such experiences has the potential to narrow inequalities in language outcomes
associated with families\u2019 socio-economic circumstances.
Building Early Sentences Therapy (BEST) and the Derbyshire Language Scheme (DLS) are
effective in improving children\u2019s use and\/or understanding of simple sentences. BEST is
based on \u2018usage-based\u2019 theory: the systematic manipulation of the nature and quantity of
language a child hears, promotes abstract, flexible knowledge and use of a range of
sentence structures, accelerating future language learning. DLS incrementally increases the information carrying words children are asked to understand and produce. The adapted version of DLS (A-DLS) used in this study follows the principles of traditional DLS but delivers the programme more rapidly. This project aimed to determine whether BEST and A-DLS differ in their efficacy.
Comparisons of effective interventions enable informed choices to be made regarding which work best for a given child, context, or family preference. Comparing interventions delivered with the same dosage, delivery context, and treatment fidelity tests whether it is the specific learning mechanisms exploited by the interventions which promote change.
Twenty schools were independently randomised to receive BEST or A-DLS. Measures were
collected at baseline, outcome, and follow-up. Children aged 3;06\u20134;06, identified by
teachers as monolingual English speakers, and not meeting age-related expectations in
their language development, were assessed and included if they: Scored \u226416th centile on
the New Reynell Developmental Language Scales (NRDLS) comprehension and\/or
production subscales and had no sensorineural hearing impairment, severe visual
impairment or learning disability.
Interventions were delivered, with high fidelity, through ~15-minute group sessions
delivered twice weekly for eight weeks in preschool settings by qualified Speech and
Language Therapist researchers. Measures were completed blind to intervention arm.
One-hundred-and-two children participated. There were no differences in NRDLS
comprehension or production standard scores at outcome but children receiving BEST had
higher comprehension and production standard scores at follow-up. Both interventions were associated with large clinically meaningful changes in communicative participation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n