A meta-analysis of teacher language practices in early childhood classrooms

• Published in: Early childhood research quarterly 2022-01, Vol.59, p.186-202
• Main Authors: Burke Hadley, Elizabeth, Barnes, Erica M., Wiernik, Brenton M., Raghavan, Mukhunth
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: early childhood; meta-analysis; oral language development; vocabulary
• ISSN: 0885-2006; 1873-7706
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2021.12.002

•We conducted a meta-analysis of studies that explored the relationships between teacher language practices in early childhood classrooms that supported children's language development.•We found that there were 11 key types of teacher language that had been studied, including Interactive Talk, Responsive Talk, Questions and Elicitations, and Conceptual Talk.•These types of teacher language cohered into 2 registers: (1) an Emergent Academic Language register and (2) a Bridge Language register.•Different kinds of teacher language practices were enhanced by different settings and group sizes. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to determine the relationships between teacher language practices in early childhood classrooms, using a systemic functional linguistic theoretical framework. We included studies with typically developing preschool or kindergarten-aged children that conducted 1 or more observations of teachers in which teachers’ talk was systematically coded for strategies that supported oral language development. Studies also had to present at least one correlation between types of teacher language practice variables (e.g., open-ended questions and use of rare vocabulary). In a meta-analysis of 30 studies and 539 correlations, we identified correlations between 11 key types of teacher language practices. We then conducted a factor analysis using the overall meta-analytic mean correlations, finding that teacher language practices loaded onto 2 factors: an Emergent Academic Language dimension characterized by abstract talk with a greater variety of word types, and a Bridge Language dimension characterized by scaffolding practices. Last, we explored how teacher language practices varied by activity setting and group size, finding that shared book-reading enhanced the use of more Emergent Academic Language practices, and that small group time included fewer beneficial language practices as compared to other settings.