Additional Feasibility Study
Following our main intervention project, we were contacted by an additional school who asked to run the intervention in their settings. This provided us with the opportunity to evaluate the effectiveness of the programme when delivered under real life conditions and to collect detailed feedback from staff. We were able to assess and monitor the children in this school over the course of the intervention and collect data from staff regarding the implementation of the programme. A second school in the same area also wanted to implement the programme and we were able to interview a member of staff from that school regarding the implementation of the programme but were unfortunately not able to follow the progress of the children.
Participants and Design
Twenty-two children in the school took part in the feasibility study; 8 children in Reception and 14 children in Year 1. As in the main study, the children were randomly allocated to an intervention group (n=11) and a waiting control group (n=11). All of the children taking part were learning EAL.
The feasibility study used random allocation within year groups; 4 Reception children and 7 Year 1 children were allocated to each group. The design differed from the main intervention project such that both groups received intervention but the start was staggered. The intervention group received the 18 week intervention as in the main intervention project and this started in the Autumn school term. The waiting control group in this case started the intervention in the Spring term after the intervention group had completed the first half, therefore receiving only the second 9 week of block of the intervention.
Children were assessed at the beginning of the intervention, after the first 9 week block and again after 18 weeks when both groups had received intervention. The same measures were used as in the main intervention project. TAs were given two days of intensive training but were not supported by tutorials over the course of the intervention.
Staff Feedback
We carried out a focus group with a sample of TAs who took part in the programme and the EAL co-ordinators from both schools that had conatcted us. This enabled us to gain detailed feedback from staff regarding any challenges they faced in implementing the programme which would help to inform future programme design.
Language background of children taking part in feasibility study