Literacy in the early years: a follow-up study

In one Australian state, a concerted effort has been made to impact the literacy achievement of students during the early years of schooling, especially those students attending primary schools in identified least-advantaged areas. While these initiatives have been successful, their impact has been enhanced by the development of print-enriched play environments during the pre-school years. Data are reported here from the Preschool Literacy Project (PLP) that followed approximately 1000 students, in treatment and control groups, through into their first two years in school. The analysis of residual gain scores identifies the reciprocal relationship between spoken and written language, also the increasing Text Level achievement for students who entered school with enhanced conceptual development in relation to literacy.