One-Year Follow-Up Outcomes of Spanish and English Interventions for English Language Learners at Risk for Reading Problems

Abstract

The authors report 1-year follow-up data from 215 English language learners with reading difficulties who received a supplemental first grade reading intervention in the language of their core reading instruction. The researchers provided no intervention or boosters in second grade. The Spanish study revealed significant differences favoring treatment students on Spanish measures of decoding, spelling, fluency, and comprehension (median d = 0.53). Similar results were evidenced in the English study, with significant differences favoring treatment students on English measures of oral language, decoding, spelling, fluency, and comprehension (median d = 0.40). Few direct transfer effects were noted for either language. The first grade intervention was associated with stronger skills in a variety of literacy-related domains 1 year after its termination.