Puente de cuentos para la familia: A community-based, dual language narrative intervention to support language development of young Spanish-English DLLs

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a community-based, dual language narrative intervention on young, Spanish-English Dual Language Learners’ (DLLs’) oral language skills. Additionally, this study assessed the extent to which families engaged with the intervention, and the impact of the intervention on children’s home language and literacy experiences. One-hundred parent-child dyads, who self-identified as Hispanic or Latino and spoke Spanish, were randomized to an intervention group and a control group. The 12-week intervention was adapted from a Spanish-English preschool curriculum (Spencer et al., 2020). The Assessment of Story Comprehension, Narrative Listening Measure (English and Spanish), and Puente de Cuentos Vocabulary Assessment (English and Spanish) were administered to children before and after the intervention. Parents also completed a survey to document language use and beliefs pre- and post-intervention. ANCOVA results reveal statistically significant effects for children’s Spanish narrative retell skills, F(1, 97)=19.886, p<0.001. Furthermore, children in the intervention group scored higher on average than children in the control group on measures of English retell skills, story comprehension, and English and Spanish vocabulary, although significant differences were not observed. Parent surveys illustrate the intervention’s positive impact on family’s home language and literacy experiences, parent empowerment, and community building. This study highlights the multifaceted effects of a community-based, dual language intervention aimed at supporting oral language development of young Spanish-English DLLs. Furthermore, findings underscore the impact of early interventions on home literacy and language experiences and the potential for community-based implementation of such programs.