Early literacy intervention for improving oral language
Authors: Howard Goldstein PhD, CCC-SLP / Elizabeth Spencer Kelley PhD, CCC-SLP
Recommended Ages: 4-6
Fun, engaging, and effective, Story Friends is the first research-based Tier 2 language intervention program for 4- to 6-year-olds at risk for reading difficulties. Through interactive animal-themed storybooks and lively, engaging audio recordings, Story Friends effectively boosts oral language and vocabulary developmenttwo of the most important predictors of later reading success. With colorful illustrations, rhyming text, interactive story components, and appealing narration from Wanda the Word Wolf, the program hooks and holds young attention spans. And because Story Friends is a natural fit with any existing classroom schedule or curriculum, it's easier than ever to deliver interventions when they matter most and get all young children ready to read and succeed.
Story Friends requires no special training and is specially designed to fit into a typical classroom schedule with little advance preparation. The instruction is all prerecorded, so its simple to add the program to a daily center rotation or small group time.
How to Use Story Friends
Teachers will start by identifying children who have limited oral language skills or are demonstrating delays in oral vocabulary and comprehension. They can conduct their own universal screening and progress monitoring assessments, or they can use the convenient screening questionnaire that comes with the Story Friends program. This brief screener helps teachers easily identify the children who are most likely at risk for reading difficulties and would benefit from participating in Story Friends.
Story Friends includes 26 full-color storybooks, each with an interactive audio track. The Story Friends intervention is delivered in the classrooms listening center in 10- to 15-minute sessions, with a facilitator guiding and monitoring the session. Children listen as Wanda the Word Wolf, the program narrator, reads the story. As children follow along, Wanda delivers explicit vocabulary instruction and comprehension lessons that engage children and promote critical thinking about the text and ideas.
With Story Friends, teachers assess childrens learning of instructional targets using curriculum-based measures. Theyll administer the progress monitoring assessments included in Story Friends: Unit Vocabulary and pre- and post-Concept Words Assessments.
Story Friends includes two measures for vocabulary. Vocabulary acquisition is measured using Unit Vocabulary Assessments, administered after four weeks of instruction, and Concept Words Assessments, administered before and after each book series, Jungle Friends and Forest Friends.
The Story Friends program provides two series of student books, Jungle Friends and Forest Friends.
The Story Friends storybooks showcase:
- Embedded vocabulary
- Colorful, engaging illustrations
- Repeating story characters
- Rhyming text
- Discovery flaps that promote natural curiosity and critical thinking
The program includes 26 full-color illustrated books for use in small-group intervention with children at risk for reading difficulty and organized around two themesJungle Friends and Forest Friends. These durable books are filled with colorful illustrations, likeable characters, rhyming text, and lift flaps that encourage interaction as young children participate in the program.
- Program overview and components
- Scope and sequence of skills
- Implementation guidelines
- Audio scripts
- Placement and Assessments
- Resource Masters
- Research base
Screener & Assessments
Story Friends includes a screener to identify children who would benefit from participating in the program, plus progress monitoring assessments (Unit Vocabulary and pre- and post- Concept Words Assessments). Picture cards are included for use with the Concept Words pre- and posttests.
Packed in a sturdy box with a handle for easy carrying, this kit contains:
- 1 Teacher Guide with complete guidance on implementing the program
- 1 Storybook Set of 26 full-color, animal-themed storybooks
- 1 USB with the audio tracks that accompany each storybook (252 minutes of instruction)
- 1 set of 18 shrink-wrapped picture cards for assessing children's acquisition of words