Let's Know!2: Language-focused Intervention for Children at Risk of Comprehension Difficulties

Study Summary

In the proposed project, the investigators will conduct a multisite randomized controlled trial (RCT) to determine the efficacy of Let's Know!2, a small-group, language focused comprehension intervention, on children's lower- and higher-level language skills and comprehension skills in the short- and long-term (Specific Aims 1 and 2). The investigators will also explore whether intervention effects are moderated by dosage, initial language skill, developmental language disorder (DLD) status, word reading skill, nonverbal IQ, and family socioeconomic status (Specific Aim 3). Children who have low language skills and are thus at risk for reading comprehension difficulties will participate in the study. Children will be randomly assigned to receive Let's Know! in small groups at their respective schools or to a business-as-usual control condition. The investigators will measure children's language and comprehension skills at the beginning and end of Grade 1 as well as in Grade 2 and Grade 3. The investigators hypothesize that children who experience Let's Know! will end Grade 1 with higher language skills than children in the control condition and that this will translate into better listening and reading comprehension skills as these children matriculate through elementary school.

Primary Outcome

The Language and Reading Research Consortium (LARRC) Unit Vocabulary Curriculum-Aligned Measure (CAM) assesses children's definitional knowledge of the 8 vocabulary words taught in unit 1 (fiction) and results in a total score of definitional specificity with 2 points possible for each word for a total of 16 points possible.

Conditions Studied

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL Let's Know! small-group or TierL 2 Intervention

Study Locations (2)