Early Achievements: Building Early Language and Literacy Skills for Pre-K Children
Developing Early Achievements for Pre-K Children With Developmental Language Disorders: A Comprehensive Contextualized Embodied Approach
This project will test a teacher training program to see if teaching pre-K teachers language-rich literacy strategies helps children with and without developmental language disorder improve vocabulary, syntax, story skills, and listening comprehension.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 360 (estimated) |
| Ages | 45 Months to 65 Months |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger, Inc. Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Baltimore, Maryland) |
| Trial ID | NCT07103044 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
The team developed EA-SHELLS, a professional development program that teaches prekindergarten teachers language-based instructional strategies for inclusive classrooms. In initial phases teachers were trained, used the strategies during literacy activities, and investigators collected teacher feedback and child test data to refine the program. The final phase is a preliminary randomized controlled trial comparing classrooms led by trained teachers to those without the training, with measures of teacher implementation, self-efficacy, and children's emergent literacy outcomes. The trial will show whether the revised training increases teachers' use of evidence-based strategies and improves language-related literacy skills in pre-K children with and without developmental language disorder.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal participants are pre-K teachers who plan to stay for the training and have at least one child aged about 45–65 months in an inclusive classroom who speaks English more than half the time at home and may have or be at risk for developmental language disorder, along with their classmates.
Not a fit: Children not enrolled in participating inclusive pre-K classrooms, those with very limited English exposure at home, or children whose needs (for example severe cognitive or sensory impairments) fall outside the program's target may not benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the training could help teachers use evidence-based language and literacy strategies that improve early vocabulary, syntax, narrative skills, and listening comprehension for pre-K children, including those with developmental language disorder.
How similar studies have performed: Preliminary pilot work with 17 teachers and 87 students reported promising positive outcomes, and related teacher professional-development programs have shown benefits in prior studies, though large randomized trials are limited.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria for Teachers * Having students in the identified age range * Having at least one child in their classroom who receives language-focused related services, has an existing diagnosis of language delay or disorder, or meets study criteria for DLD on the research measures * Planning to teach for the duration of the training period. Inclusion Criteria for Students in the DLD group: * use phrases containing a noun and a verb in most spontaneous utterances (per teacher report) * are exposed to English \>50% of their time at home (per parent report). receive language-focused related services, have a prior diagnosis of language delay or disorder, or meet study criteria for language delay on the CELF P-3 and/or CUBED NLM. * CELF P-3: score more than 1 standard deviation below the mean on at least one subtest * NLM criteria: receives two Listening Retell score raw score of \<5 on Fall measures or \<7 on Winter measures * between approximately 45-65 months of age Inclusionary criteria for students in the TD group: * cannot have an identified DLD or developmental disability and does not meet above criteria for language delay/disorder * between approximately 45-65 months of age. * are exposed to English \>50% of their time at home (per parent report) Exclusion Criteria: Exclusionary criteria for both the DLD group and TD group: * having a visual or hearing impairment after correction (per parent report) * having a motor impairment that renders them unable to reach and grasp objects or sit independently * score more than1.5 standard deviation below the mean on the Mullen Scales of Early Learning Visual Reception subscale * This criterion will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis at the PI's discretion as children's performance may be affected by any of a number of factors and a single response variation may result in a child missing the cut-off while clearly succeeding cognitively in the classroom.
Where this trial is running
Baltimore, Maryland
- Kennedy Krieger Institute — Baltimore, Maryland, United States (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Rebecca Landa, PhD — Hugo W. Moser Research Institute at Kennedy Krieger Institute
- Study coordinator: Rebecca Landa, PhD
- Email: landa@kennedykrieger.org
- Phone: 443-923-7591
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.