Efficacy of a Direct Instruction Approach to Promote Early Learning

This study examined the effectiveness of Direct Instruction (DI) as an enhancement to a Developmentally Appropriate Preschool (DAP) curriculum in the form of increased pre-academic, language, and early literacy competencies for high-risk preschool children. Sixty-one preschool children were randomly assigned to either a DI-Add-On group or DAP-Only group. The children were administered the Kaufman Survey of Early Academic and Language Skills (K-SEALS; Kaufman and Kaufman, 1993) and Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy Skills (DIBELS; Good and Kaminski, 2002) prior to receiving the intervention and upon completion of the study. All of the children were also administered the DIBELS throughout the implementation of the DI intervention to monitor their progress throughout the curriculum. It was hypothesized that children receiving both DI and DAP would demonstrate greater attainment of pre-academic, language, and early literacy skills than children who only participated in the DAP curriculum. The research questions were statistically analyzed by multivariate analysis of covariance and single subject data analysis. Results of the study confirmed the hypothesis. Children who received both DI and DAP demonstrated greater attainment of pre-academic, language, and early literacy skills than children who only participated in the DAP curriculum.

Name thesis:degree_name

PhD

Level thesis:degree_level

Immediate Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Clinical Psychology

Year dc:date.available

2008

Author dc:creator

• Salaway, Jennifer Lee

Contributors dc:contributor

• Kara E. McGoey
• Stephen J. Bagnato
• Tammy L. Hughes

• early childhood education
• early language
• early literacy
• preschool

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

https://dsc.duq.edu/etd/1140

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dsc.duq.edu:etd-2156