Language4reading - preschool training of oral language skills

This project aims to establish whether identifying oral language difficulties in pre-school children and providing an intervention before they begin (and during the transition to) formal schooling will improve their response to reading instruction.

The project involved 15 schools and feeder-nurseries across Yorkshire. A member of staff from each of the Early Years settings was trained to deliver a language intervention programme. The programme targeted three key areas: vocabulary knowledge, narrative and listening skills, with phonics work included in the later stages. Children took part in three group sessions each week, supplemented by individual work once they entered school. 

Results
After 30 weeks, the children who had received the intervention showed wide-ranging improvements in expressive language skills, including the use of vocabulary and grammar, while gains in letter-sound knowledge and spelling indicate that the foundations of phonics are in place.