Claudine Bowyer-Crane’s research while affiliated with The University of Sheffield and other places

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Publications (50)


Factors Shaping Children's Language Skills in the First Year Post-Pandemic
  • Preprint

December 2024

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2 Reads

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Elena Lisauskaite

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Jo Hutchinson

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Claudine Bowyer-Crane

Previous research has suggested that pandemic-related disruptions significantly impacted young children’s language development. The main aims of this study were to explore the language skills of children enrolled in Reception and Key Stage 1 in the 2021/2022 academic year, and investigate which individual, family and school factors were related to their language outcomes at the end of the summer of 2022. Participants were assessed using the LanguageScreen once in spring and once in summer. Data regarding the children’s home learning environment and parental wellbeing was collected once through an online questionnaire. Demographic information about the children and the schools they attended was obtained from a government database. Results showed that most children achieved scores in the range expected for their age on the LanguageScreen at both testing points. Further analyses revealed that children’s total score and individual subscale scores during the summer were mainly related to children’s individual factors, with only their total scores and expressive vocabulary scores being also predicted by school’s factors. None of the family factors investigated were significant in our models. These results suggest that while most children have language skills expected for their age, some children struggle more due to individual factors and characteristics of their environments. Therefore, these groups of children will require additional support to continue adequately developing their language skills in a post-pandemic world.


Risk and Protective Factors Affecting Children's Socioemotional Skills in the First Year Post-Pandemic

July 2024

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9 Reads

For two years, children’s everyday life experiences were significantly disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Previous research has suggested that these disruptions had a negative impact on children’s socioemotional skills and development. The main aims of this study were to explore children’s socioemotional skills in the first year after all restrictions were lifted and to explore which individual, family and school factors predicted their socioemotional skills in the Summer of 2022. Children in Reception and KS1 were assessed using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) in the Spring and Summer of 2022. Children’s home learning environment (HLE) and parent/carer wellbeing were assessed through an online questionnaire. Children’s demographics and their school’s characteristics were obtained through a governmental database. Results showed that most children had SDQ scores in the range expected for their age at both timepoints. A further analysis showed that internalising scores in the summer were predicted by children’s scores in the spring term, the percentage of children eligible for free school meals (FSM) in a school, the percentage of children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in a school, HLE, age, SEND status, ethnicity and parental occupation. A similar analysis showed that externalising scores in the summer were predicted by scores in spring, SEND status, ethnicity and eligibility for FSM. These results suggest that while most children were showing the socioemotional skills expected for their age, some children are more vulnerable than others. Importantly, the findings suggest which factors might present a risk to children’s socioemotional wellbeing.


Time points and timescale of data collection
CONSORT diagram showing participant flow through the oTTer study
Recruitment across oTTer trial period: monthly figures required to meet the trial recruitment goal of 120 participants (black line) and the minimum recruitment figure of 60 participants (red line). Actual recruitment (participant n) is shown in green
Effect size of mean difference between groups at pre-test and follow-up with 95% confidence intervals for language measures. Note: Lines of the same colour represent the same variable but at different time points. Solid lines represent pre-test, dotted lines represent follow-up. Effect sizes above zero represent an advantage for the intervention group
Effect size of mean difference between groups at pre-test and follow-up and 95% confidence intervals for non-language measures. Note. Lines of the same colour represent the same variable but at different time points. Solid lines represent pre-test, dotted lines represent follow-up. For the SDQ and MORS Invasive, effect sizes below zero represent an advantage for the intervention group. For MORS Warmth and HLE, effect sizes above zero represent an advantage for the intervention group
A randomised controlled feasibility trial of an early years language development intervention: results of the ‘outcomes of Talking Together evaluation and results’ (oTTer) project
  • Article
  • Full-text available

June 2023

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74 Reads

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2 Citations

Pilot and Feasibility Studies

Background Early language difficulties are associated with poor school readiness and can impact lifelong attainment. The quality of the early home language environment is linked to language outcomes. However, few home-based language interventions have sufficient evidence of effectiveness in improving preschool children’s language abilities. This study reports the first stage in the evaluation of a theory-based programme, Talking Together (developed and delivered by BHT Early Education and Training) given over 6 weeks to families in the home setting. We aimed to test the feasibility and acceptability of delivering Talking Together in the Better Start Bradford community prior to a definitive trial, using a two-armed randomised controlled feasibility study. Methods Families from a single site within the Better Start Bradford reach area were randomly allocated (1:1) to the Talking Together intervention or a wait list control group. Child language and parent-level outcome measures were administered before randomisation (baseline), pre-intervention (pre-test), 2 months post-intervention start (post-test), and 6 months post-intervention start (follow-up). Routine monitoring data from families and practitioners were also collected for eligibility, consent, protocol adherence, and attrition rates. Descriptive statistics on the feasibility and reliability of potential outcome measures were analysed alongside qualitative feedback on trial design acceptability. Pre-defined progression-to-trial criteria using a traffic light system were assessed using routine monitoring data. Results Two-hundred and twenty-two families were assessed for eligibility; of these, 164 were eligible. A total of 102 families consented and were randomised (intervention: 52, waitlist control: 50); 68% of families completed outcome measures at 6-month follow-up. Recruitment (eligibility and consent) reached ‘green’ progression criteria; however, adherence reached ‘amber’ and attrition reached ‘red’ criteria. Child- and parent-level data were successfully measured, and the Oxford-CDI was identified as a suitable primary outcome measure for a definitive trial. Qualitative data not only indicated that the procedures were largely acceptable to practitioners and families but also identified areas for improvement in adherence and attrition rates. Conclusions Referral rates indicate that Talking Together is a much-needed service and was positively received by the community. A full trial is feasible with adaptations to improve adherence and reduce attrition. Trial registration ISRCTN registry ISRCTN13251954. Retrospectively registered 21 February 2019

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Characteristics of mothers who had Talking Together Screening
Characteristics of children who had Talking Together Screening
Risk factors for early language delay in children within a minority ethnic, bilingual, deprived environment (Born in Bradford’s Better Start): a UK community birth cohort study

March 2023

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107 Reads

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7 Citations

Background Preschool language skills and language delay predict academic and socioemotional outcomes. Children from deprived environments are at a higher risk of language delay, and both minority ethnic and bilingual children can experience a gap in language skills at school entry. However, research that examines late talking (preschool language delay) in an ethnically diverse, bilingual, deprived environment at age 2 is scarce. Methods Data from Born in Bradford’s Better Start birth cohort were used to identify rates of late talking (≤10th percentile on the Oxford-Communicative Development Inventory: Short) in 2-year-old children within an ethnically diverse, predominantly bilingual, deprived UK region (N=712). The relations between known demographic, maternal, distal and proximal child risk factors, and language skills and language delay were tested using hierarchical linear and logistic regression. Results A total of 24.86% of children were classified as late talkers. Maternal demographic factors (ethnicity, born in UK, education, financial security, employment, household size, age) predicted 3.12% of the variance in children’s expressive vocabulary. Adding maternal language factors (maternal native language, home languages) and perinatal factors (birth weight, gestation) to the model predicted 3.76% of the variance. Adding distal child factors (child sex, child age) predicted 11.06%, and adding proximal child factors (receptive vocabulary, hearing concerns) predicted 49.51%. Significant risk factors for late talking were male sex (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.38 to 3.09), receptive vocabulary delay (OR 8.40, 95% CI 4.99 to 14.11) and parent-reported hearing concerns (OR 7.85, 95% CI 1.90 to 32.47). Protective factors were increased household size (OR 0.85, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.95) and age (OR 0.82, 95% CI 0.70 to 0.96). Conclusions Almost one in four children living in an ethnically diverse and deprived UK area have early language delay. Demographic factors explained little variance in early vocabulary, whereas proximal child factors held more predictive value. The results indicate further research on early language delay is warranted for vulnerable groups.


"Making sure that people are in a good place it’s draining, and nobody does that for me”: Teachers experience on the impact of Covid-19 on schools and staff members

January 2023

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11 Reads

Background: The Covid-19 pandemic and school disruptions have been challenging for teachers and other staff members working in schools. Since March 2020, the way education was provided had to change and schools saw an increase in their workload and scope of their responsibilities which have impacted staff members physically, mentally and professionally. Aim: To report how the pandemic and school disruptions impacted teachers and other members of the senior leadership team working in primary schools across England. Sample and Method: Twenty-three staff members from 21 primary schools participating in the ICICLES project were interviewed with a semi-structured online interview that lasted between 40 to 60 minutes. All interviews were transcribed, and their content analysed using thematic analysis.Results: The pandemic and school disruptions have been challenging times for everyone working at a school with some differences in how it impacted them across the different lockdowns and periods of disruptions. Mental and physical health problems have increased with most schools providing support for staff members. This experience has made staff members feel undervalued and underappreciated and has led some staff members to leave the profession. Conclusions: While restrictions have been lifted since the summer of 2021, schools are still seeing an impact of the pandemic and school disruptions. Findings from these interviews highlight the need to include teachers and senior members of the leadership team in any discussions regarding recovery plans as they were also significantly impacted by the pandemic and school disruptions.


Figure 2 CONSORT diagram showing participant ow through the oTTer study
Table 2
Figure 4 Effect size of mean difference between groups at pre-test and follow-up with 95% condence intervals for language measures Note: Lines of the same colour represent the same variable but at different time points. Solid lines represent pre-test, dotted lines represent follow-up. Effect sizes above zero represent an advantage for the intervention group.
Mean difference between pre-test and follow-up on potential outcome measures in the total sample (intervention and control).
Assessment completion in raw numbers (and percentages) at all time points for each group
A randomised controlled feasibility trial of an early years language development intervention: Results of the ‘outcomes of Talking Together evaluation and results’ (oTTer) project

October 2022

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42 Reads

Background Early language difficulties are associated with poor school readiness and can impact lifelong attainment. The quality of the early home language environment is linked to language outcomes. However, few home-based language interventions have sufficient evidence of effectiveness in improving preschool children’s language abilities. This study reports the first stage in the evaluation of a theory-based programme, Talking Together (developed and delivered by BHT Early Education and Training) given over 6 weeks to families in the home setting. We aimed to test the feasibility and acceptability of delivering Talking Together in the Better Start Bradford community prior to a definitive trial, using a two-armed randomised controlled feasibility study. Methods Families from a single site within the Better Start Bradford reach area were randomly allocated (1:1) to the Talking Together intervention or a wait list control group. Child language and parent-level outcome measures were administered before randomisation (baseline), pre-intervention (pre-test), 2 months post-intervention start (post-test), and 6 months post-intervention start (follow-up). Routine monitoring data from families and practitioners were also collected for eligibility, consent, protocol adherence, and attrition rates. Descriptive statistics on the feasibility and reliability of potential outcome measures were analysed alongside qualitative feedback on trial design acceptability. Pre-defined progression-to-trial criteria using a traffic light system were assessed using routine monitoring data. Results Two-hundred and twenty-two families were assessed for eligibility; of these, 164 were eligible. A total of 102 families consented and were randomised (intervention: 52, waitlist control: 50); 68% of families completed outcome measures at 6-month follow-up. Recruitment (eligibility and consent) reached ‘green’ progression criteria; however, adherence reached ‘amber’ and attrition reached ‘red’ criteria. Child and parent-level data were successfully measured, and the Oxford-CDI was identified as a suitable primary outcome measure for a definitive trial. Qualitative data indicated that the procedures were largely acceptable to practitioners and families, but also identified areas for improvement in adherence and attrition rates. Conclusions Referral rates indicate that Talking Together is a much-needed service, and was positively received by the community. A full trial is feasible with adaptations to improve adherence and reduce attrition. Trial registration ISRCTN13251954, retrospectively registered 21 February 2019


Delivering language intervention at scale : promises and pitfalls

March 2022

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93 Reads

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15 Citations

Journal of Research in Reading

Background There is now substantial evidence that language interventions delivered to small groups can be effective for improving language skills and hence strengthening the foundation for formal schooling. However, there are remaining challenges when delivering such interventions in naturalistic environments at scale. Method We reflect on three randomised trials designed to evaluate the impact of an early years language programme, prior to the implementation of a large effectiveness trial, delivered in partnership with speech and language professionals. We consider findings within a framework from implementation science. Results We found that, in contrast to policy-led interventions for reading and mathematics, language interventions are not prioritised in mainstream settings. Aside from this, other obstacles to delivery were the time taken to prepare and to timetable sessions, lack of communication about the requirements of delivery and the need for language screening. Crucial to success was the support from the class teacher of teaching assistants delivering the intervention. However, feedback was largely positive from most stakeholders, and the intervention was found to have a positive impact on children's language with preliminary evidence for effects on behaviour and on reading comprehension. Conclusions While many educators recognise the importance of language for communication, the benefits of oral language interventions are only recently becoming prioritised by policy-makers. We propose that challenges to successful delivery and adoption of evidence-based language interventions in mainstream settings can be remedied through better communication with stakeholders and collaboration between researchers and professional colleagues including senior leaders, teachers, teaching assistants, speech and language therapists and psychologists. It is imperative to take account of issues of implementation when designing an intervention and to do this successfully is a multidisciplinary enterprise. Highlights What is already known about this topic • Early language intervention is effective. • Trials of language intervention show larger effect sizes if fidelity is good. • Scaling up research-led interventions is challenging. What this paper adds • The paper provides an overview of three published trials and reflects on the issue of implementation at scale. • The paper presents a schools' perspective on the qualitative findings from educational practitioners who delivered the intervention, based on questionnaires and interviews. • The paper demonstrates how theoretically motivated interventions can be adapted for delivery at scale. Implications for theory, policy or practice • Effective interventions need to be theoretically justified. • Partnership between researchers and practice is essential to delivering sustainable interventions at scale. • Children with language difficulties and disorders respond well to structured interventions delivered in mainstream schools.



Fig. 1 The Better Start Bradford Innovation Hub process of integrating research into practice
Table 1 The Better Start Bradford interventions
Fig. 2 An example of the service design toolkit
Integrating research and system-wide practice in public health: lessons learnt from Better Start Bradford

December 2019

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311 Reads

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23 Citations

BMC Public Health

Many interventions that are delivered within public health services have little evidence of effect. Evaluating interventions that are being delivered as a part of usual practice offers opportunities to improve the evidence base of public health. However, such evaluation is challenging and requires the integration of research into system-wide practice. The Born in Bradford’s Better Start experimental birth cohort offers an opportunity to efficiently evaluate multiple complex community interventions to improve the health, wellbeing and development of children aged 0–3 years. Based on the learning from this programme, this paper offers a pragmatic and practical guide to researchers, public health commissioners and service providers to enable them to integrate research into their everyday practice, thus enabling relevant and robust evaluations within a complex and changing system. Using the principles of co-production the key challenges of integrating research and practice were identified, and appropriate strategies to overcome these, developed across five key stages: 1) Community and stakeholder engagement; 2) Intervention design; 3) Optimising routinely collected data; 4) Monitoring implementation; and 5) Evaluation. As a result of our learning we have developed comprehensive toolkits (https://borninbradford.nhs.uk/what-we-do/pregnancy-early-years/toolkit/) including: an operational guide through the service design process; an implementation and monitoring guide; and an evaluation framework. The evaluation framework incorporates implementation evaluations to enable understanding of intervention performance in practice, and quasi experimental approaches to infer causal effects in a timely manner. We also offer strategies to harness routinely collected data to enhance the efficiency and affordability of evaluations that are directly relevant to policy and practice. These strategies and tools will help researchers, commissioners and service providers to work together to evaluate interventions delivered in real-life settings. More importantly, however, we hope that they will support the development of a connected system that empowers practitioners and commissioners to embed innovation and improvement into their own practice, thus enabling them to learn, evaluate and improve their own services.


Fig. 1 Flow chart of feasibility study of Talking Together programme
Fig. 3 Assessment points and timings for outcome data collection and how they correspond to the timing of the intervention
Procedure for recruitment and consent in the oTTer feasibility study
A randomised controlled feasibility trial and qualitative evaluation of an early years language development intervention: study protocol of the ‘outcomes of Talking Together evaluation and results’ (oTTer) project

October 2019

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155 Reads

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5 Citations

Pilot and Feasibility Studies

Background: Problems with oral language skills in childhood have been linked with poor educational, employment, and mental health outcomes. In the UK, there is increasing concern about the oral language skills of children, particularly children from areas of social disadvantage. Research emphasises the importance of the home language environment as a fundamental bedrock for the development of oral language skills. It is vital, therefore, that support is available to help families in need to provide the optimal language environment for their child. Talking Together is a 6-week home visiting programme recently commissioned by Better Start Bradford to develop parents' knowledge of the importance of a good language environment and help to improve parent-child interactions. This study represents the initial steps in developing a definitive trial of the Talking Together programme. Method: This study is a two-arm randomised controlled feasibility study in which families referred into the Talking Together programme and consent to participate in the trial will be randomly allocated to either an intervention group or a waiting control group. We will assess the recruitment and retention rates, the representativeness of our sample, the appropriateness of our measures, and the sample size needed for a definitive trial. We will also carry out a qualitative evaluation to explore the acceptability of trial procedures for families and service providers, fidelity of delivery, time and resources for training, and barriers and facilitators to engagement with the programme. Clear progression criteria will be used to assess suitability for a definitive trial. Conclusion: This feasibility study will inform the development of a definitive trial of this home-based visiting programme, which will add to the sparse evidence base on which practitioners can draw when supporting families in need. The lessons learnt from this feasibility study will also inform the wider evaluation work of the Better Start Bradford Innovation Hub. Trial registration: The trial is registered with the ISRCTN registry: study ID ISRCTN13251954. Date of registration: 21 February 2019 (the trial was retrospectively registered).


Citations (26)


... Die frühkindliche Sprachentwicklung stellt einen entscheidenden Faktor für die kognitive, soziale und emotionale Entwicklung von Kindern dar (Cunningham et al. 2023). In den ersten Lebensjahren, einer Phase hoher neuronaler Plastizität (Schwarze et al. 2024), üben sprachliche Reize einen intensiven Einfluss auf das Lernen und die Entwicklung aus (Nielsen et al. 2023;Dittrich 2022). Elementarpädagogische Bildungseinrichtungen nehmen hierbei eine zentrale Rolle ein. ...

Reference:

Professionalisierung von Pädagog:innen zur Stärkung der frühen Sprachentwicklung in burgenländischen elementarpädagogischen Bildungseinrichtungen
A randomised controlled feasibility trial of an early years language development intervention: results of the ‘outcomes of Talking Together evaluation and results’ (oTTer) project

Pilot and Feasibility Studies

... En la literatura, esta temática en particular ha recibido poca atención. Un estudio inglés reciente (Cheung, Willan, Dickerson y Bowyer-Crane, 2023) encontró, empero, en una muestra conformada por 712 niños y niñas pertenecientes a una comunidad étnicamente diversa, bilingüe y con privaciones económicas, que a los dos años de edad alrededor de 24.8% presentaron retrasos en el desarrollo del habla. Los factores sociodemográficos y económicos de las familias -entre ellos, el grado de inseguridad financiera-correlacionaron significativamente con la expresividad del vocabulario infantil, aunque explicaran solo 3% de la varianza. ...

Risk factors for early language delay in children within a minority ethnic, bilingual, deprived environment (Born in Bradford’s Better Start): a UK community birth cohort study

... children (Blainey et al., 2020). Social and emotional development was the greatest concern for parents and EYPs, though language development, physical development and educational outcomes were also areas of concern (Fox et al., 2021). There was a significant increase in demand for services at a time when many SLTs were redeployed with a significant reduction of SLTs going into settings (RCSLT, 2022). ...

Mitigating impacts of COVID-19 in the early years-rapid evidence review

... Unfortunately, in school curricula, attention to literacy and math are more prevalent than oral language (e.g. Snowling et al., 2022), there is limited availability of school-related tools and resources for detecting oral language difficulties (So & To, 2020) and for fostering oral language in schools for children with language delays and language concerns (cf. Rogde et al., 2021;West et al., 2021). ...

Delivering language intervention at scale : promises and pitfalls
  • Citing Article
  • March 2022

Journal of Research in Reading

... Allocation took place at the individual level using a 1:1 ratio. The methodology is outlined below, and full details are available in the published protocol [11]. The protocol was adhered to with a few exceptions: (a) fidelity data was not saved by the service provider, so it was not possible to use this data in our analyses; (b) the randomisation programme was amended following an allocation violation to avoid reoccurrence and (c) the original progression criteria were changed for clarity (http:// www. ...

A randomised controlled feasibility trial and qualitative evaluation of an early years language development intervention: study protocol of the ‘outcomes of Talking Together evaluation and results’ (oTTer) project

Pilot and Feasibility Studies

... Myhill and Newman (2016) explore further teachers' management of classroom conversations about writing that facilitate the development of metalinguistic understanding, revealing through analysis of classroom dialogue, how dialogic metatalk about writing can help students to recognise the inter-relationship of form and meaning in narrative writing. Also indicating the impact of metalinguistic discussion on students' learning, a qualitative analysis of observational data drawn from a follow-up RCT, with participants from English primary schools rather than secondary schools (in which the RCT did not reveal a positive result; Tracey et al., 2019), indicated that the cumulative development of students' metalinguistic understanding hinges on teachers' orchestration of metatalk repertoires across lessons (Newman & Myhill, 2020). Drawing on the same dataset, Watson et al. (2021) investigated how declarative and procedural knowledge manifested in intervention classrooms and revealed how classroom talk may mediate learning transfer. ...

Grammar for Writing: Evaluation report and executive summary
  • Citing Technical Report
  • February 2019

... There is a paucity of routinely collected data within the early years of a child's life, which limited our choice of an outcome measure. Whilst the EYFSP is a well-timed measure and represents a construct of interest to this study, other measures relating to outcomes that IY-T aims to effect would have been beneficial (e.g. of parent-child bonding) [56]. Further, as collection of EYFSP data was paused during the COVID pandemic, there will inevitably be missing outcome data for a small number of children. ...

Integrating research and system-wide practice in public health: lessons learnt from Better Start Bradford

BMC Public Health

... This paper adds to the existing literature by offering strategies, and associated tools, developed to integrate research and practice through the implementation and evaluation of multiple early years interventions delivered by the Better Start Bradford programme and evaluated by the Born in Bradford research programme [19]. ...

Integrating research and system-wide practice in public health to enhance the evidence-base of interventions: lessons learnt from Better Start Bradford
  • Citing Article
  • November 2018

The Lancet

... Interventions which target these aspects of language have been shown to improve children's language skills when delivered in schoolbased settings (e.g. Dockrell et al., 2010;Fricke et al., 2017). (Burgoyne et al., 2018) report findings from a randomised controlled trial of a 30-week parent-delivered intervention which supplements shared reading with targeted, explicit instruction on vocabulary and narrative skills. ...

The efficacy of early language intervention in mainstream school settings: A Randomised Controlled Trial

... The extent to which children learning English as an additional language are exposed to the language before entering school can vary, and many of these children may start school with limited English language proficiency, especially in terms of their vocabulary (Mahon & Crutchley, 2006). Consequently, while typically developing monolingual English-speaking children can leverage their existing vocabulary knowledge to link newly encountered words in a text to their pre-existing phonological and semantic representations, children learning English as an additional language may find themselves simultaneously introduced to both the spoken and written aspects of a new word (Bowyer-Crane et al., 2017). ...

Early Literacy And Comprehension Skills In Children Learning English As An Additional Language And Monolingual Children With Language Weaknesses