Martine van der Pluijm

16 Chapter 1 decontextualized speech is an important component of young children’s language and literacy development (Curenton, Craig, & Flanigan, 2008; Van Kleeck, 2008; Rowe, 2012). In summary, poor HLEs are at the core of children’s language and literacy delays (Gilkerson et al., 2018; Hart & Risley, 1995). Attempts to prevent language delays in early childhood require consideration of parental education levels, together with other variables that impact the richness of HLEs. Effective programs Fordecades,educators,researchers,andpolicymakershavetriedtopreventtheintergenerational transfer of language and literacy delays and have developed programs that contribute to enriching the home literacy environment (Wasik & Van Horn, 2012). Most of these attempts are based on the bioecological theory of (Bronfenbrenner 1977, 1992) that places young children at the center of a layered environment. The assumption is that children´s multifaceted interactions, particularly with adults, have an important influence on their development. Young children’s interactions at home have proven to be most decisive for their language development. Hence, families are the most influential setting within children’s immediate environment (i.e., the microsystem) that shapes a child’s language development. Schools are viewed as the other setting that influences child language development. Coherent connections between these two settings form an additional source of influence (i.e., the mesosystem). This source can affect child development positively if there is close coordination between schools and families that supports child development (e.g., Epstein, 1987; 1996). Bioecological theory defines three foci for programs aiming to enrich children’s language and literacy development in the immediate environments where they grow up. The first focus is on children’s interactions within the primary environment at home. The second focus is on improving interactions between children and adults at schools. Some programs combine these first two foci (i.e., school and home environment) in a dual approach. The third focus is on coordinating child support by parents and teachers to connect the settings of the school and home environment through partnerships. We will discuss research on early childhood intervention programs with these foci and their effects on child language and literacy development. Family-Literacy Programs (FLPs) focus on enriching language and literacy practices at home by including children and their parents (Hannon, 2003). These interventions can be conducted at home, at school, or at both settings. Several meta-analyses have shown effects for children’s language and literacy development (Heidlage et al., 2020; Manz, Hughes, Barnabas, Bracaciello, &Ginsburg-Block, 2010; Mol, Bus, De Jong, & Smeets, 2008; Sénéchal &Young, 2008;Van Steensel, McElvany, Kurvers, & Herppich, 2011; Van Steensel, Fikrat-Wevers, Bramer, & Arends, 2019). However, programs that applied shared reading interventions seem to be less effective for low SES and ethnic-minority children (Manz et al., 2010; Mol et al., 2008). A plausible explanation is that shared reading is difficult for parents with low educational levels and literacy skills (cf.,