Population Level Language and Literacy Screening: An Early Warning System for Word and Language Related Reading Disabilities (Project 4)

Lead: Emily Solari 

Project Introduction

Project 4 leverages a state level literacy screening system to better understand early risk for reading and language difficulties and disabilities. The state literacy screening system serves as an “early warning system” for language and literacy difficulties. The project will work with educators implementing the screening system to understand successes and difficulties using the screening system as well as collect information on how the screening system is used to guide literacy and language instruction.

 

Purpose

The purpose of Project 4 is to advance the implementation of an evidence-based literacy and language screening system used by public PreK-Grade 3 educators across the state of Virginia. Just like vision or hearing screening tests catch problems so that they can be treated, a literacy screening system alerts educators and families if a child is having difficulty with early reading and language skills. Finding out as early as possible that a student is likely to have trouble with reading allows schools to provide early and targeted intervention.
Outcomes for students who may have reading and language difficulties can be improved by acting early on the information provided by a literacy screening system. The project will use survey and focus group data to support educators’ effective use of screening results for identifying students at risk for reading difficulties and planning instruction that is matched to students’ needs.

 

Impact

Specific research aims address the use of the literacy screening system to understand students’ risk for reading difficulties and to make instructional decisions. Findings from this ongoing research will be used to understand how well the screening system works to identify students at risk for reading difficulties and to support state-wide implementation in schools.