Grantee: LENA
Study Type: Correlational Study
Principal Investigator: Joanna K. Dill – North Greenville University
Project Description: This is a secondary correlational analysis of data derived from a randomized controlled trial of a 13-week parenting course that was designed to encourage verbal interactions between parents and their young children, with the goal of improving kindergarten readiness. This study focused on a subset of data on parent-child verbal interactions from 45 parents who had been randomly assigned to the control group and 45 parents who were randomly assigned to and also completed the 13-week training course, in order to examine the relation between the verbal interactions and kindergarten achievement. The study took place in rural South Carolina between 2016 and 2019.
Key Findings: The results indicated a statistically significant correlation between conversational turns and kindergarten academic achievement (N[45]=.773, p<.01). Mean KRA scores differed significantly between the LENA group (M=265.2, SD=10.47) and non-LENA group (M=260.49, SD=10.37), t(88)=2.14, p<.05, indicating that parent education classes focused on conversation can improve student achievement. Regardless of gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status, increased conversational turns may contribute to future academic success.
Study Citation: Joanna K. Dill. The relationship between conversational turns and student achievement. Dissertation submitted to the Graduate Faculty of North Greenville University, 2021. Retrieved from https://www.proquest.com/openview/d604e54271796dedcdb0fb2e07741236/1.pdf?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y.
Full report here.
The Key Findings above were reproduced from the published report and do not necessarily reflect interpretation of Overdeck Family Foundation staff.