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Background: Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the way education was provided had to change during two academic years. Schools saw an increase in their workload and scope of their responsibilities which impacted staff members physically, mentally and professionally. Even though restrictions in England have been lifted since the summer of 2021, schools are still seeing the effect of the pandemic in their staff members. Purpose: To report how the pandemic and school disruptions impacted teachers and other staff members working in primary schools across England during the pandemic, and how their experience has been since all restrictions have been lifted. Methods: Twenty-three staff members from 21 primary schools participating in the ICICLES project were interviewed with a semi-structured online interview that lasted between 40 to 60 minutes. All interviews were transcribed, and their content analysed using thematic analysis. Results: The pandemic and school disruptions were challenging for staff members with some differences in how it impacted them across different lockdowns and periods of disruptions. Results also showed an increase in mental and physical health problems. This experience has made staff members feel undervalued and has led some staff members to leave the profession. While restrictions have been lifted for a significant amount of time, schools are still under immense pressure to “go back to normal” but schools are still concerned regarding the physical and mental health of their staff members. Conclusions: The pandemic and school disruptions were challenging for all staff members. While restrictions have been lifted since the summer of 2021, things have not gone back to normal and schools are still seeing an impact. Findings from these interviews highlight the need to include staff members in any discussions regarding recovery plans as they were and are still significantly impacted by the pandemic and school disruptions.

Normative data on phonological acquisition of a language are a prerequisite for evaluating children’s speech sound competences. To date, these data are not sufficiently available for Italian. This study, therefore, aimed to describe the phonological development of 183 typically developing monolingual Italian-speaking children aged 3;0–4;11 (four 6-months age bands). Participants were assessed through a picture naming task, and performances analysed in terms of number of phonological variations (Tokens), Types and percentage of occurrence of patterns, and number of infrequent variants (InfrVar) as a measure of stability in speech production. Two cut-off criteria to distinguish InfrVar from phonological patterns were applied. Results showed a gradual reduction of all measures with increasing age. Twenty-two patterns generally in line with previous Italian and cross-linguistic studies were observed, with only five patterns and two phonetic distortions occurring across all age groups. Eight patterns only emerged when applying the lower cut-off criterion, while further seven patterns only occurred with very low frequency or in isolated age groups. These findings highlight the influence of the selected cut-off criterion on the identification of patterns and raise the question of whether some patterns should rather be considered InfVar. Data on younger children are still needed to clarify whether low-frequency patterns are patterns of younger typically developing children that have almost resolved in the age groups assessed. At least half of the phonological variation Tokens fell into the category of InfrVar, indicating a need to pay more attention to this so far ignored measure.

Current methods for reporting interventions do not allow key questions of importance to practitioners, service providers, policy-makers and people with DLD to be answered, and hence limit the implementation of effective interventions in the real world. To extend the existing EQUATOR guidelines to the context of speech language therapy/pathology for children with language disorder and to provide more specific guidance on participants, interventions and outcomes within the CONSORT checklist (used to improve the reporting of randomised controlled trials) and TIDieR (Template for Intervention Description and Replication) to ensure consistency of reporting. We will develop a core team to include representatives from each of the key groups who will either use or be influenced by the final reporting guidance across different countries. To achieve each set of aims, we will conduct reviews of the literature (which present typologies of intervention characteristics in (D)LD and related disorders); carry out focus groups; and use systematic consensus methods such as the Delphi technique, nominal group technique or consensus development conferences. Through the development and adoption of standard intervention reporting criteria, we anticipate that we will overcome the numerous barriers for practitioners, services and policy-makers in applying intervention evidence to practice. We believe that establishing international consensus on reporting guidelines would significantly accelerate progress in DLD research and the ease with which it can be used in clinical practice, by capitalising on the growth in intervention studies to enable international collaboration and new methodologies of data pooling, meta-analyses and cross-study comparisons.

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Kenntnisse über den typischen Ausspracheerwerb sind notwendig, um Aussprachestörungen identifizieren zu können. Hierbei spielt die phonologische Prozessanalyse eine wichtige Rolle. Informationen zum Ausspracheerwerb bilingualer Kinder sind bislang rar, sodass eine Diagnosestellung erschwert ist. Methode Mit Hilfe eines Bilderbenenntests wurden die phonologischen Prozesse im Deutschen von 84 türkisch-deutsch bilingualen Kindern im Alter von 3;0–5;5 Jahren untersucht. Ergebnis Bis auf wenige Ausnahmen (z. B. Vokalfehler) wurden nur phonologische Prozesse im Deutschen beobachtet, die denen monolingualer Kinder entsprechen. Diese wurden meist später als von monolingualen Kindern überwunden. Simultan und sukzessiv bilingual aufwachsende Kinder unterschieden sich hier kaum. Diskussion Die Ergebnisse bestätigen bisherige Pilotstudien zum türkisch-deutschen Phonologieerwerb und können zur Orientierung in der sprachtherapeutischen Aussprachediagnostik herangezogen werden.

Children learning English as an additional language (EAL) are a growing population of learners in English primary schools. These children begin school with differing levels of English language proficiency and tend to underperform in relation to their non‐EAL peers on measures of English oral language and reading. However, little work has examined the developmental trajectories of these skills in EAL learners in England. EAL learners and 33 non‐EAL peers in Year 4 (age 8–9 years) were assessed at three time points over 18 months on measures of oral language (vocabulary, grammar and listening comprehension), phonological processing (spoonerisms and rapid automatised naming) and reading skills (single‐word decoding and passage reading). At t1, EAL learners scored significantly lower than non‐EAL peers in receptive and expressive vocabulary (breadth but not depth), spoonerisms and passage reading accuracy. Contrary to previous research, no significant group differences were found in listening or reading comprehension skills. With the exception of passage reading accuracy, there was no evidence for convergence or divergence between the groups in rate of progress over time. After three years of English‐medium classroom instruction, EAL learners continue to underperform relative to their non‐EAL peers in breadth of English vocabulary knowledge. This discrepancy in vocabulary knowledge does not appear to narrow as a result of regular classroom instruction in the run up to the final stages of primary school, pinpointing vocabulary as a key target for intervention.

Background There is now substantial evidence that language interventions delivered to small groups can be effective for improving language skills and hence strengthening the foundation for formal schooling. However, there are remaining challenges when delivering such interventions in naturalistic environments at scale. Method We reflect on three randomised trials designed to evaluate the impact of an early years language programme, prior to the implementation of a large effectiveness trial, delivered in partnership with speech and language professionals. We consider findings within a framework from implementation science. Results We found that, in contrast to policy-led interventions for reading and mathematics, language interventions are not prioritised in mainstream settings. Aside from this, other obstacles to delivery were the time taken to prepare and to timetable sessions, lack of communication about the requirements of delivery and the need for language screening. Crucial to success was the support from the class teacher of teaching assistants delivering the intervention. However, feedback was largely positive from most stakeholders, and the intervention was found to have a positive impact on children's language with preliminary evidence for effects on behaviour and on reading comprehension. Conclusions While many educators recognise the importance of language for communication, the benefits of oral language interventions are only recently becoming prioritised by policy-makers. We propose that challenges to successful delivery and adoption of evidence-based language interventions in mainstream settings can be remedied through better communication with stakeholders and collaboration between researchers and professional colleagues including senior leaders, teachers, teaching assistants, speech and language therapists and psychologists. It is imperative to take account of issues of implementation when designing an intervention and to do this successfully is a multidisciplinary enterprise.

Background Oral language skills are a critical foundation for literacy and more generally for educational success. The current study shows that oral language skills can be improved by providing suitable additional help to children with language difficulties in the early stages of formal education. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial with 394 children in England, comparing a 30‐week oral language intervention programme starting in nursery (N = 132) with a 20‐week version of the same programme starting in Reception (N = 133). The intervention groups were compared to an untreated waiting control group (N = 129). The programmes were delivered by trained teaching assistants (TAs) working in the children's schools/nurseries. All testers were blind to group allocation. Results Both the 20‐ and 30‐week programmes produced improvements on primary outcome measures of oral language skill compared to the untreated control group. Effect sizes were small to moderate (20‐week programme: d = .21; 30‐week programme: d = .30) immediately following the intervention and were maintained at follow‐up 6 months later. The difference in improvement between the 20‐week and 30‐week programmes was not statistically significant. Neither programme produced statistically significant improvements in children's early word reading or reading comprehension skills (secondary outcome measures). Conclusions This study provides further evidence that oral language interventions can be delivered successfully by trained TAs to children with oral language difficulties in nursery and Reception classes. The methods evaluated have potentially important policy implications for early education.

Background: While practitioners are increasingly asked to be mindful of the evidence-base of intervention programmes, evidence from rigorous trials for the effectiveness of interventions that promote oral language abilities in the early years is sparse. Aims: This study evaluates the effectiveness of a language intervention programme for children identified as having poor oral language skills in preschool classes. Methods & Procedures: A randomised controlled trial was carried out in 13 UK nursery schools. In each nursery, eight children (N = 104, mean age = 3 years 11 months) with the poorest performance on standardised language measures were selected to take part. All but one child was randomly allocated to either an intervention (N = 52) or a waiting control group (N = 51). The intervention group received a 15-week oral language programme in addition to their standard nursery curriculum. The programme was delivered by trained teaching assistants and aimed to foster vocabulary knowledge, narrative and listening skills. Outcomes & Results: Initial results revealed significant differences between the intervention and control group on measures of taught vocabulary. No group differences were found on any standardised language measure; however there were gains of moderate effect size in listening comprehension. Conclusions & Implications: The study suggests that an intervention, of moderate duration and intensity, for small groups of preschool children successfully builds vocabulary knowledge, but does not generalize to non-taught areas of language. The findings strike a note of caution about implementing language interventions of moderate duration in preschool settings. The findings also highlight the importance of including a control group in intervention studies.

For professionals working with multilingual children, detecting language deficits in a child’s home language can present a challenge. This is largely due to the scarcity of standardized assessments in many children’s home languages and missing normative data on multilingual language acquisition. A common approach is to translate existing English language vocabulary measures into other languages. However, this approach does not take into account the cultural and linguistic differences between languages. This pilot study explored whether English and home-language receptive vocabulary skills can be objectively and reliably screened using a tablet application. Preliminary data on monolingual and multilingual vocabulary skills was collected from 139 children aged 6–7 years. A tablet application was designed to assess children’s receptive vocabulary in both English and an additional eight languages using a four-choice picture paradigm. Linguistically controlled and pre-recorded target items are presented orally via the tablet in each language and responses are made via the touch screen and are automatically scored. The English version of the test was administered to 67 monolingual and 72 multilingual children, while 38 multilingual children also completed the test in their home language. Test criteria measures, including reliability and concurrent validity showed satisfactory results. These findings suggest that the tablet application could be a useful tool for professionals to screen receptive vocabulary skills in monolingual and multilingual children. Limitations of the first version of the receptive vocabulary screener and future steps are discussed.

Die phonologische Bewusstheit (PhB) ist eine wichtige metalinguistische Kompetenz, die eng mit der Sprachentwicklung zusammenhangt. Allerdings gibt es bisher nur wenige Daten, die die PhB im fruhen Vorschulalter beschreiben. Es wurden 33 monolingual deutschsprachige Kinder im Alter von 3;6–3;11 Jahren mit verschiedenen PhB–Aufgaben auf Silben- und Onset-Reimebene untersucht. Die Aufgaben zur Silbenbewusstheit wurden von fast allen Kindern beherrscht (84,8, 97 bzw. 100% uber Rateniveau). Wahrend es den meisten Kindern gelang, Kinderreime zu vervollstandigen (90,9%) und Onset-Reime zu synthetisieren (63,3 und 72,9%), fiel vielen das Identifizieren und Produzieren von Reimen schwer (21,2 bzw. 15,1%). Die Studie prasentiert Orientierungswerte zur Entwicklung von PhB-Fahigkeiten bei 3-Jahrigen. Es wird dabei die Annahme unterstrichen, dass sich die PhB schon in diesem Alter messen lasst, wobei die Leistungen stark von der Aufgabenstellung abhangen.

Background: Oral language skills in the preschool and early school years are critical to educational success and provide the foundations for the later development of reading comprehension. Methods: In a randomized controlled trial, 180 children from 15 UK nursery schools (n = 12 from each setting; M age = 4;0) were randomly allocated to receive a 30-week oral language intervention or to a waiting control group. Children in the intervention group received 30 weeks of oral language intervention, beginning in nursery (preschool), in three group sessions per week, continuing with daily sessions on transition to Reception class (pre-Year 1). The intervention was delivered by nursery staff and teaching assistants trained and supported by the research team. Following screening, children were assessed preintervention, following completion of the intervention and after a 6-month delay. Results: Children in the intervention group showed significantly better performance on measures of oral language and spoken narrative skills than children in the waiting control group immediately after the 30 week intervention and after a 6 month delay. Gains in word-level literacy skills were weaker, though clear improvements were observed on measures of phonological awareness. Importantly, improvements in oral language skills generalized to a standardized measure of reading comprehension at maintenance test. Conclusions: Early intervention for children with oral language difficulties is effective and can successfully support the skills, which underpin reading comprehension. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry © 2012 Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health.

International research findings have repeatedly confirmed the significance of speech and language processing skills and letter knowledge for successful literacy acquisition. However, the importance of these skills for early literacy success in German speakers remains uncertain. The present longitudinal study aimed to explore this issue. Sixty-nine German-speaking children were assessed in nursery a few months before starting school (mean age 5;11) and in Grade 1 (mean age 6;11) with tests of phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming, expressive vocabulary, grammar comprehension, letter knowledge, and nonverbal reasoning. Grade 1 assessments also included measures of reading accuracy, speed, comprehension, and spelling. The results confirmed that speech and language processing skills and letter knowledge before and around the time of school enrolment explain individual differences in early literacy development, with letter knowledge and phonological awareness emerging as most important predictors. No variance in literacy performance was uniquely predicted by nonverbal reasoning.

While practitioners are increasingly asked to be mindful of the evidence base of intervention programmes, evidence from rigorous trials for the effectiveness of interventions that promote oral language abilities in the early years is sparse.To evaluate the effectiveness of a language intervention programme for children identified as having poor oral language skills in preschool classes.A randomized controlled trial was carried out in 13 UK nursery schools. In each nursery, eight children (N = 104, mean age = 3 years 11 months) with the poorest performance on standardized language measures were selected to take part. All but one child were randomly allocated to either an intervention (N = 52) or a waiting control group (N = 51). The intervention group received a 15-week oral language programme in addition to their standard nursery curriculum. The programme was delivered by trained teaching assistants and aimed to foster vocabulary knowledge, narrative and listening skills.Initial results revealed significant differences between the intervention and control group on measures of taught vocabulary. No group differences were found on any standardized language measure; however, there were gains of moderate effect size in listening comprehension.The study suggests that an intervention, of moderate duration and intensity, for small groups of preschool children successfully builds vocabulary knowledge, but does not generalize to non-taught areas of language. The findings strike a note of caution about implementing language interventions of moderate duration in preschool settings. The findings also highlight the importance of including a control group in intervention studies.

Phonological awareness, rapid automatized naming (RAN), letter knowledge, and oral language are all significant predictors of successful literacy acquisition in several languages. However, their relative importance is less clear and depends on language characteristics, the specific aspect of literacy assessed, and the phase of literacy acquisition. This study, therefore, aimed to examine the development of these predictors and their relationship with literacy acquisition through a longitudinal investigation of German-speaking children. Seventy-eight children growing up monolingual German were assessed three times: a few months before starting school (mean age = 5 years 11 months), in grade 1 (mean age = 6 years 11 months), and in grade 2 (mean age = 7 years 10 months). Cognitive predictors were measured at preschool, and literacy outcomes (reading accuracy, speed, comprehension, and spelling) were measured in grades 1 and 2. Correlational and path analyses revealed a complex pattern of relationships between cognitive and literacy skills dependent on the aspect of literacy being measured and the timepoint. Overall, the most important predictor of literacy skill in grade 2 was earlier literacy skills, followed by letter knowledge and RAN. Phonological awareness was less important than RAN, and oral language skills (i.e., vocabulary, grammar comprehension) were least important. The implications of these findings for the understanding of cognitive mechanisms of literacy acquisition and for early detection of literacy difficulties are discussed. Chinese 语音意识、快速自动化命名、字母知识和口头语言,全部都是几种语言中成功习得读写能力的重要预测因子。然而,它们之间的相对重要性,则不太明显,要视乎语言特性、读写能力评估的具体方面,以及读写能力的习得阶段。因此,本研究通过一个德语儿童纵向调查,考查这些预测因子的发展以及这些预测因子和读写能力习得的关系。78名成长为以德语为单语的孩子,接受三次评估:开始入学前的几个月(平均年龄:5岁11个月),在一年级中(平均年龄:6岁11个月),以及在二年级中 (平均年龄:7岁10个月)。认知预测因子是在入学前测定,读写能力成绩 (朗读准确度、速度、阅读理解、拼写)是在一年级和二年级中测定。相关分析和路径分析结果,显示出认知和读写技能之间的一个复杂模式的关系,该关系是取决于读写能力不同方面的评核和不同的评核时间点。整体来说,在二年级中,读写技能的最重要预测因子是早期读写技能,其次是字母知识和快速自动化命名。语音意识是不如快速自动化命名那么重要,而口头语言技能(词汇、语法、阅读理解)是最不重要。本文最后讨论本研究结果对了解读写能力习得的认知机制和早期读写困难探测所带来的启示。 Spanish La conciencia fonologica, el nombramiento automatico rapido (RAN por sus siglas en ingles), el conocimiento de las letras, y el lenguaje oral son todos predictores importantes de la adquisicion exitosa de la alfabetizacion en varios idiomas. Sin embargo, sus importancias relativas no estan claras y dependen de las caracteristicas del idioma, el aspecto especifico de la alfabetizacion que se examina, y la fase de la adquisicion de la alfabetizacion. Este estudio, por lo tanto, tuvo como meta examinar el desarrollo de estos predictores y su relacion con la adquisicion de alfabetizacion por medio de una investigacion longitudinal de estudiantes de habla aleman. Setenta y ocho estudiantes que crecieron monolingues fueron examinados tres veces: varios meses antes de empezar la escuela (edad media: 5 anos 11 meses), en el primer grado (edad media 6 anos 11 meses), y en el segundo grado (edad media: 7 anos 10 meses). Predictores cognitivos fueron medidos a nivel preescolar, y los resultados de la alfabetizacion (la precision lectora, la rapidez, la comprension y la ortografia) fueron medidas en el primer y el segundo grado. Analisis correlacional y de camino revelaron patrones complejos de relaciones entre las destrezas cognitivas y las de alfabetizacion que dependian del aspecto de alfabetizacion que se media y el momento. En conjunto, el predictor mas importante de la destreza de alfabetizacion en el segundo grado fueron las destrezas de alfabetizacion anteriores, seguidas por el conocimiento de las palabras y el RAN. La conciencia fonologica fue menos importante que el RAN, y las destrezas del lenguaje oral (vocabulario, comprension de la gramatica) fueron las menos importantes. Se discuten las implicaciones de estos hallazgos para el entendimiento de los mecanismos cognitivos de la adquisicion de alfabetizacion y para la deteccion temprana de la alfabetizacion. Arabic إن الوعي الصوتي، والتسمية التلقائية السريعة (RAN)، واللغة الشفوية كلها منبئ كبير على نجاح اكتساب معرفة القراءة والكتابة في عدة لغات. ومع ذلك، أهميتها النسبية أقل وضوحا وتعتمد على خصائص اللغة، وعلى الجانب المحدد لمحو الأمية المدروس، وعلى مرحلة اكتساب معرفة القراءة والكتابة. هذه الدراسة، لذلك، تهدف إلى دراسة تطور هذه المنبئات وعلاقتها مع اكتساب معرفة القراءة والكتابة من خلال تحقيق طولاني لأطفال ناطقة بالألمانية. قيم ثمانية وسبعون طفلا نشئوا يتكلمون اللغة الألمانية فقط ثلاث مرات: قبل بضعة أشهر من بدء الدراسة (متوسط العمر: 5 سنوات 11 شهرا)، في الصف 1 (متوسط العمر: 6 سنوات 11 شهرا)، والصف 2 (متوسط العمر: 7 سنوات 10 شهرا). تم قياس المتبئات المعرفية في مرحلة ما قبل المدرسة، ونتائج محو الأمية (دقة القراءة والسرعة، والفهم، والإملاء) تم قياسهم في الصفوف 1 و 2. التحليلات الارتباطية والمسارية كشفت عن وجود نمط معقد من العلاقات بين المهارات المعرفية ومحو الأمية والتي تعتمد على الجانب محو الأمية الذي يتم قياسا في زمن محدد. وعلى العموم، كان أهم المؤشرات لمهارة القراءة والكتابة في الصف 2 هي مهارات القراءة والكتابة السابق، تليها معرفة الأحرف وRAN (التسمية التلقائية السريعة). كان الوعي الصوتي أقل أهمية من RAN، والمهارات اللغوية الفظية (أي المفردات والنحو والإستيعاب) الأقل أهمية. ونوقشت الآثار المترتبة على هذه النتائج لفهم آلية المعرفية لاكتساب القراءة والكتابة وللكشف المبكر عن صعوبات القراءة والكتابة. Russian Фонематическое восприятие, быстрое автоматическое называние предметов (RAN), знание букв и устная речь значимы для прогнозирования становления грамотности на нескольких языках. Однако для разных языков относительная важность этих факторов не вполне ясна, многое зависит от особенностей самого языка, от конкретного аспекта грамотности и от этапа изучения языка. В данном продолжительном исследовании, посвященном изучению этих факторов в динамике и их связи со становлением навыков грамотности, участвовали 78 монолингвальных немецкоговорящих детей. Срез проводился трижды: за несколько месяцев до начала обучения в школе (средний возраст 5 лет 11 месяцев), в первом классе (средний возраст 6 лет 11 месяцев), и во втором классе (средний возраст 7 лет 10 месяцев). Когнитивные навыки замерялись в дошкольном возрасте, а навыки грамотности (точность и скорость чтения, понимание прочитанного и орфография) замерялись в 1 и 2 классах. Корреляционный анализ и анализ причинных связей выявили сложную взаимосвязь между познавательными навыками и навыками грамотности: многое меняется в зависимости от измеряемого аспекта и времени среза. В целом, для прогнозирования навыков грамотности к второму классу самыми важными факторами оказались ранние навыки грамотности, затем идет знание букв и RAN. Распознавание фонем оказалось менее важным, чем RAN, а навыки устной речи (т.е., словарный запас и грамматика) уступили всем остальным факторам. Обсуждается значение этих результатов для понимания когнитивных механизмов становления грамотности и для раннего выявления потенциальных трудностей. French La conscience phonologique, la vitesse de denomination automatique, la connaissance des lettres et la langue parlee sont autant de predicteurs significatifs de l'acquisition de la langue ecrite dans plusieurs langues. Cependant leur importance relative est moins claire et depend des caracteristiques de la langue, des aspects particuliers de la litteratie evalues, et de la phase d'acquisition de la litteratie. Cette etude, par consequent, visait a examiner le developpement de ces predicteurs et leurs relations avec l'acquisition de la litteratie au moyen d'une etude longitudinale d'enfants germanophones. Soixante et dix huit enfants monolingues ayant l'allemand comme langue maternelle ont ete evalues a trois reprises : quelques mois avant qu'ils entrent a l’ecole (âge moyen : 5 ans 11 mois), en premiere annee (âge moyen: 6 ans 11 mois), et en deuxieme annee (âge moyen : 7 ans 10 mois). Des predicteurs cognitifs ont ete mesures au niveau prescolaire, et des effets de la litteratie (lecture exacte, vitesse, comprehension, ecriture) ont ete mesures en premiere et deuxieme annee. Les correlations et les analyses de pistes causales ont mis en evidence un patron complexe de relations entre les competences cognitives et de litteratie qui varie suivant l'aspect de la litteratie que l'on mesure et le moment de la mesure. De plus, le facteur le plus important pour predire les competences en litteratie en deuxieme annee est les competences anterieures en litteratie, suivi de la connaissance des lettres et de la vitesse de denomination automatique. La conscience phonologique est moins importante que la vitesse de denomination automatique, et les competences en langue parlee (c'est-a-dire le vocabulaire, la comprehension grammaticale) sont moins importants. La discussion porte sur les implications de ces resultats pour la comprehension des mecanismes cognitifs dans l'acquisition de la litteratie et pour le diagnostic precoce des difficultes en litteratie.

The development of phonological awareness (PA), the ability to reflect on the sound structure of words independent of their meaning, has been extensively explored in English-speaking children. However, this is not the case for other languages. The aim of this study was to develop a comprehensive PA test battery for German-speaking preschool children, considering psycholinguistic, linguistic, and cognitive aspects and to carry out analyses of its psychometric properties. Cross-sectional data from a sample of 55 children (CA 4;0-6;11 years) were collected. Preliminary findings confirm validity and reliability of the test battery, and support previous findings that PA develops from larger to smaller linguistic units. Phoneme-level tasks were consistently associated with letter knowledge. The new instrument is a promising tool for basic research (e.g. cross-linguistic comparisons of PA development) as well as for clinical and educational practice (e.g. planning speech and language therapy or literacy-oriented intervention).

Many children learning English as an additional language (EAL) show reading comprehension difficulties despite adequate decoding. However, the relationship between early language and reading comprehension in this group is not fully understood. The language and literacy skills of 80 children learning English from diverse language backgrounds and 80 monolingual English-speaking peers with language weaknesses were assessed at school entry (mean age = 4 years, 7 months) and after two years of schooling in the UK (mean age = 6 years, 3 months). The EAL group showed weaker language skills and stronger word reading than the monolingual group but no difference in reading comprehension. Individual differences in reading comprehension were predicted by variations in decoding and language comprehension in both groups to a similar degree.

The study explores whether foundational skills of reading and spelling in preschool (age 5–6) predict literacy skills cross-linguistically in an additional language in Grade 1 (age 6–7). A sample of linguistically diverse preschool children completed tasks of phonological awareness, letter-sound knowledge, verbal-short term memory, rapid automatized naming, and lexical knowledge in the language of preschool instruction Luxembourgish. The children were followed-up in Grade 1 where literacy skills were assessed in the language of schooling, i.e., German, after five months of literacy instruction. German was a non-native language for all children. Longitudinal correlations confirm that individual differences in single word/pseudoword reading and spelling in German in Grade 1 can be predicted by all the foundational literacy skills that were assessed in Luxembourgish. Path analyses showed that phonological awareness in Luxembourgish emerged as the strongest unique predictor of Grade 1 literacy skills in German. The second unique preschool predictor of Grade 1 literacy skills was letter-sound knowledge. Results are consistent with the view that literacy development in an additional language builds upon similar building blocks as literacy acquisition in a first language, at least for languages that are typologically close. However, current findings suggest that respective contributions between predictors and literacy skills in children learning to read in an additional language may vary from patterns observed in studies with children acquiring literacy in their first language.