Effects of using bilingual children's literature to enhance the literacy skills of K--3 Hispanic English language learners in Middle Tennessee

Will regular access to a library of diverse bilingual children's literature for K-3 Hispanic English language learners (ELLs) and their parents, combined with fundamental information on research-based reading techniques, positively affect student literacy skills? For 15 weeks, seventeen K-3 Hispanic ELLs were provided with exchanges of bilingual (Spanish-English) children's literature, and their families were provided information on best practices for fostering the development of emergent literacy skills.;In this quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design, reading skills were measured using the school-administered Dynamic Indicators of Basic Early Literacy (DIBELS) and Group Reading Assessment and Diagnostic Evaluation (GRADE) assessments. Data were collected through post-treatment interviews and observations. There was no statistically significant difference between treatment group (N = 17) and control group (N = 43), based upon ANCOVA tests on posttest results using pretest covariates. A limited increase in parent-child read-aloud activity and in overall interest in books was found.;The researcher concluded that a 15-week bilingual book exchange program was too short to reveal a significant effect on the K-3 reading scores. The program did indicate an increase in favorable literacy behaviors at home and in children's affinity for reading. The study confirmed that the sample of Hispanic families of K-3 ELLs in Putnam County, Tennessee, was extremely diverse and characterized by many factors that placed their children at-risk for academic failure. The participating families of the ELLs lacked empowerment and the cultural capital to significantly improve the academic enculturation of their children through mitigation of at-risk factors. A family-systems-based model that supports the interrelationship of home, school, and community was recommended.