Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial - the "Let's Read Study"

Page content [About the study] [Stages of the study] [Let's Read study investigators] [Contact]

About the study

The Let’s Read study is a cluster randomised controlled trial which seeks to identify which factors and activities improve language development and literacy success by following a cohort of children from birth to school. A linkage grant has been secured from the Australian Research Council to undertake a “Cluster randomised controlled study of an early childhood literacy intervention to improve literacy and language outcomes in preschool aged children”. The study has been approved by The Royal Children's Hospital Ethics Committee and the Human Ethics in Research Committee at La Trobe University. This study will be undertaken in Victoria to examine the effectiveness of the Let’s Read initiative.

The study commenced in 2006 and will be run over a five-year period with a cohort of over 600 babies and their families being followed. Five Local Government Areas in Victoria are involved; Darebin, Frankston, Hobson’s Bay, Dandenong and Moreland. For the purposes of this study Let’s Read will be delivered by the Maternal and Child Health nurses in these areas.

Aim of the study

The Let’s Read study aims to show whether the Let’s Read initiative has any impact on language and literacy outcomes of children.

To date, there has been no large-scale study following children's literacy and language development from infancy through to preschool age.

This will be the first randomised study to demonstrate how the key messages and corresponding activities of early literacy intervention programs relate to the acquisition and development of emergent literacy. In addition the study will focus on learning more about children's literacy and language milestones, family background and family interactions. This information is essential for the development of a better understanding around children’s literacy and language development and the further advancement of early intervention programs in this area.

Who is taking part?

633 babies and their families are taking part in the Let’s Read study. These babies were 1 month of age between April 2006 and August 2006, and at the time were living in one of the following areas around Melbourne: Darebin, Frankston, Hobson’s Bay, Dandenong, and Moreland. Families were recruited with the help of Maternal and Child Health Nurses in these areas.

Why study children's early literacy and language development?

Literacy is one of the most important foundations for success in school and life. National and international research and assessment initiatives identify reading failure as disproportionately affecting children from socioeconomically and/or educationally disadvantaged homes and contribute to the propagation of the cycle of poverty. Research has also shown a strong correlation between literacy levels and physical and mental health outcomes. The majority of research in this area has assessed children when they start school.

In addition, language is a very important part of a child's development. Approximately 7 in every 100 Australian children experience language impairment. Children who have early problems in this area can find language and learning difficult at school. For many it has serious and lasting implications for educational achievement and job opportunities.

Early Prevention and Intervention Programs

Despite the acknowledged importance of literacy, no studies have actually linked literacy promotion interventions conclusively with improvements in literacy (reading and writing) at any age. To date, only links between literacy promotion and language development have been demonstrated. Further, no studies have rigorously evaluated the effectiveness of literacy promotion programs in a community or population setting.

What if I think my child has a literacy or language problem?

All children develop at their own rate, no two children are the same. For families involved in this study, the study itself will not be able to give specific information regarding a literacy or language problem because we will only be analysing results after children turn 4 and this is when we will also be conducting face to face assessments.

If you have any concerns about your child’s development at any stage, you should talk to your Maternal and Child Health Nurse, a speech pathologist at your local community health centre or your local doctor (GP).

Stages of the study

2006
During the earlier part of the year Maternal and Child Health (MCH) coordinators at selected Local Government Areas were approached to participate in the Let’s Read study. Five local government areas agreed to participate in the study; Darebin, Frankston, Hobson’s Bay, Dandenong and Moreland.

We then began the process of training MCH nurses about the study and how we would recruit families in their areas.

With a fantastic effort from our MCH nurses, from April through to July we were able to contact 948 Victorian families and recruit 633 families into the study. We were also overwhelmed by the positive responses from families.

This busy year also incorporated the training of approximately half the MCH nurses to deliver Let’s Read at scheduled 4 month MCH visits and the mailing out and follow up of two questionnaires sent to families.

All families should have also received our very first edition of the Let’s Read Newsletter, which will be an annual occurrence updating parents on the latest Let’s Read news.

2007
As our Let’s Read babies started to turn 12 months of age, we sent out another questionnaire for families to complete about their child. We were very pleased with the high return rate of questionnaires from families despite the relocation of a number of families.

We also conducted our third training session with MCH nurses to deliver Let’s Read at scheduled 12 month and 18 month visits with approximately 50% of participating families.

We also began developing our 2 year old questionnaire for future distribution, set up a web based version of the questionnaire for interested parents and began to enter the questionnaires which had been returned by families.

Families also received the 2nd edition of our Let’s Read Newsletter and we breathed a sigh of relief as the year came to a quick ending.

2008
2008 has seen all Let’s Read children well into their toddlerhood phase of development as they had their second birthday and families completed their annual questionnaire. This has been an exciting time for families with great change and laughter as they watched their children grow and discover the world.

Here in the office we continued to enjoy an excellent return rate of questionnaires from families which is fantastic and although a number of families have moved both within Victoria, interstate and overseas we appreciate their continued involvement in the study – Thank you.

To date we have entered all the returned data from the 2 year old questionnaires and the Let’s Read team is currently using the results of this and earlier questionnaires to write an article for publication. Earlier this year the team also asked all MCH nurses involved in the study to complete an evaluation questionnaire to give us some insight into how they have been finding the study so far. We have had a great response from these nurses and look forward to publicising these results in the near future.

An exciting development in 2008 was the distribution of a questionnaire to all fathers or father figures involved in the study. This questionnaire was designed to look more closely at the influence of male role models on children’s literacy and language development. We have had an excellent response rate from fathers, with most returning the questionnaire.

We are currently in the process of finalising our next “3 Year Old Questionnaire” for distribution to family homes in 2009 and we will be sending out our annual newsletter to families and nurses by the end of December 2008.

2009
We anticipate another busy year for our team with our next 3 Year Old Questionnaire arriving at family homes sometime in 2009 as their children approach their third birthdays!

We will also continue to take a closer look at the information we have been gathering over the past 3 years through our questionnaires and evaluations, in the hope of providing involved families, local government areas, health professionals and the wider community with some insight into literacy development in the early years.

In 2009 we will be conducting our fourth training session with MCH nurses to deliver Let’s Read at scheduled 3 ½ year old visits with approximately 50% of participating families.

2009 will also see the team planning and preparing for our 4 year old visits to family homes in 2010.

Let’s Read study investigators

The study team is based at The Royal Children's Hospital, Centre for Community Child Health. The researchers are from the Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, the Centre for Community Child Health and the University of Melbourne. The team includes a speech pathologist, paediatricians, psychologist and an epidemiologist.

Let’s Read study team:

• Professor Sheena Reilly - Director, Speech Pathology Department, The Royal Children's Hospital; Professor, Paediatric Speech Pathology, Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne; Theme Director, Healthy Development, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
• Associate Professor Melissa Wake - Paediatrician and Director of Research and Public Health, Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
• Dr. Sharon Goldfeld – Research Fellow and Paediatrician, Centre for Community Child Health and advisor to the Victorian Office for Children
• Dr. Obioha Ukoumunne – Senior Research Officer and Biostatistician, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute
• Dr. Ruth Nicholls - Project Coordinator and Speech Pathologist, University of Melbourne and Centre for Community Child Health; Postdoctoral Researcher, Murdoch Children's Research Institute
• Jon Quach – Research Assistant and PhD Scholar, Centre for Community Child Health
• Carly Veness – Research Assistant and Speech Pathologist, Murdoch Childrens Research Institute and Centre for Community Child Health

 

Contact

Dr.  Ruth Nicholls
Let’s Read Research Coordinator
Centre for Community Child Health
6th Floor South East Building
Royal Children's Hospital
Flemington Road, Parkville
Victoria 3052 Australia

Phone: (03) 9345 4759
Fax: (03) 9345 5900
Email: research@letsread.com.au