This paper presents the results of an intervention study focused on understanding how a 5-month, vocabulary-focused texting program called Text to Talk can enhance home-school connections concerning vocabulary and preschool children's language learning. Classrooms (49) were randomly assigned to intervention or control status in an urban preschool program in the eastern United States. Intervention teachers delivered Text to Talk, a curriculum-aligned program that provides weekly texts for teachers to send to families that include vocabulary words and related activities from books being read in the classroom. Children's target word knowledge and receptive language skills (PPVT) were measured at baseline and follow-up, with treatment effects on target word knowledge (d = 0.17). Treatment families reported much higher use of texting as a source of communication with teachers, but otherwise rates of home-school communication in person, phone, and with paper were unchanged; family self-report of general home learning activities was also unaffected by treatment status. Implementation analysis showed moderate to high fidelity among teachers and families, with greater family fidelity associated with larger treatment impacts. The findings suggest that a family-focused texting-based program, aligned with the school curriculum, leads to improved taught-word knowledge among children from under-resourced communities.

本文介绍了一项干预研究的结果，该研究的重点是了解为期 5 个月的、以词汇为中心的短信计划（称为 Text to Talk）如何增强家庭与学校在词汇和学龄前儿童语言学习方面的联系。在美国东部的一个城市学前教育项目中，教室 (49) 被随机分配到干预或控制状态。干预教师提供 Text to Talk，这是一个与课程一致的计划，每周为教师提供发送给家庭的文本，其中包括课堂上正在阅读的书籍中的词汇和相关活动。在基线和随访时测量儿童的目标词知识和接受性语言技能（PPVT），治疗对目标词知识的影响（d = 0.17)。接受治疗的家庭报告说，更多地使用短信作为与老师交流的来源，但在家与学校面对面、电话和纸质交流的比率没有变化；一般家庭学习活动的家庭自我报告也不受治疗状态的影响。实施分析显示，教师和家庭的忠诚度为中度至高度，家庭忠诚度越高，治疗影响越大。研究结果表明，与学校课程保持一致的以家庭为中心的基于短信的计划可以提高资源不足社区儿童的教词知识。