Early literacy for inner-city children: The effects of reading and writinginterventions in English and Spanish during the preschool years

The following study is a 4-year, longitudinal examination of the effectiven ess of a preschool emergent literacy intervention in a "skid row" child-car e facility in downtown Los Angeles, California. The primary purpose of the project has been to provide multiple opportunities for Spanish-speaking 4-y ear-olds to engage in a variety of reading and writing activities within th e center, at home, and in the surrounding community. The project is now in its third year of operation, and the results of our study have been very en couraging. Not only are preschool children beginning their kindergarten yea r at or above grade level in understanding concepts about print, but both p reschool teachers and parents have established regular habits of shared boo k reading and numerous ways for children to write and display their work.