Early literacy for inner-city children: The effects of reading and writing interventions in English and Spanish during the preschool years

The following study is a 4-year, longitudinal examination of the effectiveness of a preschool emergent literacy intervention in a "skid row" child-care facility in downtown Los Angeles, California. The primary purpose of the project has been to provide multiple opportunities for Spanish-speaking 4-year-olds to engage in a variety of reading and writing activities within the center, at home, and in the surrounding community. The project is now in its third year of operation, and the results of our study have been very encouraging. Not only are preschool children beginning their kindergarten year at or above grade level in understanding concepts about print, but both preschool teachers and parents have established regular habits of shared book reading and numerous ways for children to write and display their work.