| The purpose of this research was to ascertain if there were any significant differences in the early reading ability of kindergarten children who received direct instruction with environmental print, those who received indirect (constructivist and center-based) instruction with environmental print, and those who received no instruction with environmental print. A quasi-experimental pre-/post-test design was used with a convenience sample of six intact kindergarten classes from a large inner-city school system. The population consisted of 106 children at post-test. Those in the two treatment groups received 8 months of instruction using environmental print.;An analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used to compare the children's ability to read logos in the environment as measured by a total score on the EPC. Post-testing revealed that the indirect instruction group scored significantly higher than both the control and the direct instruction groups. There was no difference in the control and direct instruction groups.;A multivariate analysis of covariance with two repeated-measures within-subjects factors (logo and level) and one between-subjects factor (group) was employed to determine whether the children were able to make the transition from reading actual logos to reading logos in manuscript, embedded in a sentence, and typed. A significant interaction was found between level and group. The three groups were not significantly different at levels one and two, but were at levels three, four, five, and six. The control and direct instruction groups were not significantly different from each other. However, the indirect instruction group scored significantly higher than both the direct instruction and the control groups at levels three, four, five, and six.;An ANCOVA was used to compare the early reading ability as measured by the TERA-2. The control and indirect instruction groups scored significantly higher than the direct instruction group.;The Environmental Print Checklist (EPC) was employed to measure the children's ability to read logos and to make the transition from reading actual logos to logos in manuscript. Early reading behaviors were measured with the Test of Early Reading Ability - 2 (TERA-2).;Conclusions drawn were that (a) indirect instruction with environmental print improved kindergarten children's ability to read logos, (b) aided them in making the transition from reading logos to reading logos in manuscript, and (c) improved their early reading ability. |
