Evaluation of curricular approaches to enhance preschool early literacy skills [Let’s Begin with the Letter People]
Fischel, J. E., Bracken, S. S., Fuchs-Eisenberg, A., Spira, E. G., Katz, S., & Shaller, G (2007). Journal of Literacy Research, 39(4), 471–501. http://doi.org/10.1080/10862960701675333.
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examining335Students, gradePK
Single Study Review
Review Details
Reviewed: May 2023
- Single Study Review (findings for Let's Begin with the Letter People®)
- Randomized Controlled Trial
- Meets WWC standards with reservations because it is a compromised cluster randomized controlled trial, but it satisfies the baseline equivalence requirement for the individuals in the analytic intervention and comparison groups.
This review may not reflect the full body of research evidence for this intervention.
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Findings
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-III (PPVT-III) |
Let's Begin with the Letter People® vs. High/Scope Curriculum |
0 Days |
Full sample ;
|
88.54 |
85.36 |
No |
-- |
|
Outcome measure |
Comparison | Period | Sample |
Intervention mean |
Comparison mean |
Significant? |
Improvement index |
Evidence tier |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Head Start Family and Children Experiences Survey (FACES): Letter Knowledge |
Let's Begin with the Letter People® vs. High/Scope Curriculum |
0 Days |
Full sample ;
|
19.29 |
15.76 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement (WJ-III) Letter-Word Identification Subtest |
Let's Begin with the Letter People® vs. High/Scope Curriculum |
0 Days |
Full sample ;
|
100.98 |
96.71 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Head Start Family and Children Experiences Survey (FACES): Print Convention |
Let's Begin with the Letter People® vs. High/Scope Curriculum |
0 Days |
Full sample ;
|
0.52 |
0.26 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Get Ready to Read |
Let's Begin with the Letter People® vs. High/Scope Curriculum |
0 Days |
Full sample;
|
12.98 |
11.76 |
Yes |
|
|
|
| Show Supplemental Findings | |||||||||
|
Head Start Family and Children Experiences Survey (FACES): Letter Knowledge |
Let's Begin with the Letter People® vs. Waterford Early Reading Program |
0 Days |
Full sample ;
|
19.17 |
17.37 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Achievement (WJ-III) Letter-Word Identification Subtest |
Let's Begin with the Letter People® vs. Waterford Early Reading Program |
0 Days |
Full sample ;
|
101.25 |
99.17 |
No |
-- | ||
|
Head Start Family and Children Experiences Survey (FACES): Print Convention |
Let's Begin with the Letter People® vs. Waterford Early Reading Program |
0 Days |
Full sample ;
|
0.51 |
0.52 |
No |
-- | ||
Evidence Tier rating based solely on this study. This intervention may achieve a higher tier when combined with the full body of evidence.
Sample Characteristics
Characteristics of study sample as reported by study author.
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14% English language learners -
Other or unknown: 100% -
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New York
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Race Black 42% Other or unknown 43% Two or more races 8% White 7% -
Ethnicity Hispanic 41% Not Hispanic or Latino 59% -
Eligible for Free and Reduced Price Lunch Other or unknown 100%
Study Details
Setting
The study took place in 35 full-day preschool classrooms in 6 Head Start centers in southeastern New York. All centers were part of the same multicenter Head Start program.
Study sample
Over the three-year study period, the researchers randomly assigned 12 classrooms to the Let's Begin with the Letter People curriculum, 12 classrooms to the Waterford Early Reading Program, and 11 classrooms to the comparison group which implemented the High/Scope curriculum. There were 185 students in the Let's Begin with the Letter People condition, 172 students in the Waterford Early Reading Program, and 150 students in the comparison condition (High/Scope). Across the entire sample, 42% of participating children were Black, 8% were multiracial, 7% were White, and 43% did not report their race. Forty-one percent were Hispanic. Approximately 14% of students were identified as Spanish language dominant. Children on average were 4 years and 4 months old at the start of the study.
Intervention Group
Let's Begin with the Letter People is an early education curriculum designed to address early language and literacy skills, as well as numeracy, art, music, science, and social and motor development. The curriculum takes a motivational approach to learning through play and includes both classroom and home components. Lessons are centered around a specific person identified by a letter—such as Mr. N or Ms. P—and the letter person is used throughout the lesson to introduce specific letters, sounds, stories, colors, or shapes. Audio and visual prompts are used with the curriculum, such as inflatable Letter People Huggables, songs, and books. Each unit of the curriculum includes take-home activities in English and Spanish. This intervention was used in conjunction with the existing High/Scope curriculum.
Comparison Group
Let's Begin with the Letter People was compared to the High/Scope curriculum alone. High/Scope prescribes a daily routine including planning time, work time, cleanup time, recall time, large-group time, small-group time, and outside time. The curriculum uses a "plan-do-review" sequence that is designed to promote social competence, self-confidence, and a sense of community. Children have access to books, play materials, and activities in structured classroom spaces. Let's Begin with the Letter People was also compared to Waterford Early Reading Program Level 1. This early education curriculum uses computer-based technology to develop students' literacy skills. Computerized instruction was delivered 15 minutes per day, and focused on phonological awareness, phonemic awareness, letter recognition, print concepts, and knowledge of story concepts. Students used Waterford Early Reading Program in conjunction with High/Scope in this condition.
Support for implementation
Teachers and teaching assistants in the Let's Begin with the Letter People condition were provided a 3-day training by a professional trainer in August before each school year. Follow-up training visits were held in the fall and spring of each year. During these visits, the trainer assessed fidelity of implementation and provided additional feedback and support to each teacher. The trainer also held group meetings for all teachers and teacher assistants to provide further training in the curriculum.
An indicator of the effect of the intervention, the improvement index can be interpreted as the expected change in percentile rank for an average comparison group student if that student had received the intervention.
For more, please see the WWC Glossary entry for improvement index.
An outcome is the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that are attained as a result of an activity. An outcome measures is an instrument, device, or method that provides data on the outcome.
A finding that is included in the effectiveness rating. Excluded findings may include subgroups and subscales.
The sample on which the analysis was conducted.
The group to which the intervention group is compared, which may include a different intervention, business as usual, or no services.
The timing of the post-intervention outcome measure.
The number of students included in the analysis.
The mean score of students in the intervention group.
The mean score of students in the comparison group.
The WWC considers a finding to be statistically significant if the likelihood that the finding is due to chance alone, rather than a real difference, is less than five percent.
The WWC reviews studies for WWC products, Department of Education grant competitions, and IES performance measures.
The name and version of the document used to guide the review of the study.
The version of the WWC design standards used to guide the review of the study.
The result of the WWC assessment of the study. The rating is based on the strength of evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention. Studies are given a rating of Meets WWC Design Standards without Reservations, Meets WWC Design Standards with Reservations, or >Does Not Meet WWC Design Standards.
A related publication that was reviewed alongside the main study of interest.
Study findings for this report.
Based on the direction, magnitude, and statistical significance of the findings within a domain, the WWC characterizes the findings from a study as one of the following: statistically significant positive effects, substantively important positive effects, indeterminate effects, substantively important negative effects, and statistically significant negative effects. For more, please see the WWC Handbook.
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Tier 1 Strong indicates strong evidence of effectiveness,
Tier 2 Moderate indicates moderate evidence of effectiveness, and
Tier 3 Promising indicates promising evidence of effectiveness,
as defined in the
non-regulatory guidance for ESSA
and the regulations for ED discretionary grants (EDGAR Part 77).