Inter-Rater and Test-Retest Reliability of Inter-Rater and Test-Retest Reliability of the Early Language and Literacy the Early Language and Literacy Classroom Observation (ELLCO)Classroom Observation (ELLCO)

Addie LaffertyAddie LaffertyKhawla ObeidatKhawla Obeidat

Shelley GrayShelley GrayJeanne WilcoxJeanne Wilcox

Arizona State UniversityTempe, Arizona

What is the ELLCO?What is the ELLCO?

A set of three interdependent research tools:

Literacy Environment Checklist

Classroom Observation and Teacher Interview

Literacy Activities Rating Scale

Developed by Miriam W. Smith & David K. Dickinson, with Angela Sangeorge, & Louisa Anastasopoulos (2002)

What is the purpose of the ELLCO?What is the purpose of the ELLCO?

To identify practices and environmental supports that foster early language and literacy development.

Provides objective ratings of the language & literacy environment of classrooms from preschool to third grade.

Literacy Environment ChecklistLiteracy Environment Checklist

Twenty four items in 5 conceptual categories:

Book Area Book Selection Book Use Writing Materials Writing Around The Room

Classroom Observation and Classroom Observation and Teacher InterviewTeacher Interview

Fourteen classroom observation items grouped into:

General Classroom Environment

Language & Literacy Curriculum

Rated on a 5-point scale 5=exemplary 4=proficient 3=basic 2=limited 1=deficient

Literacy Activities Rating ScaleLiteracy Activities Rating Scale

Nine questions in 2 categories:

Book reading

Writing

MethodMethod

Purpose: Assess inter-rater and test-retest reliability

Procedure: Administered by two certified speech-language

pathologists at the same timeOne was a bilingual Spanish-English speakerOne was a monolingual English speaker

Two to three week interval between first and second administrations

Characteristics of ParticipantsCharacteristics of Participants

Participants:8 Head Start classrooms

Three classes of 3- to 4-year-oldsFive classes of 4- to 5-year-olds

135 children 115 children identified as English Language

LearnersTeachers & children spoke Spanish and English

throughout the four hour day Teacher demographics: 3 Latino, 3 White, 1

African American, 1 American Indian

ResultsResults

Inter-rater reliability

Classroom Observation & Teacher Interview

Literacy Environment Checklist

Literacy Activities Rating Scale

Time 1 87%

Time 2 92%

Test-retest coefficient

.85 .74 .57

DiscussionDiscussion

The ELLCO had good inter-rater reliability.

The Classroom Observation & Teacher Interview showed good test-retest reliability.

The Literacy Environment Checklist showed adequate test-retest reliability. Scores were affected by the presence or absence of classroom materials from Time 1 to Time 2

The Literacy Activities Rating Scale showed poor test-retest reliability. Scores were affected by the presence or absence of book reading and writing activities from Time 1 to Time 2.

Test-Re-test Reliability Concerns Test-Re-test Reliability Concerns with the with the Literacy Activities Literacy Activities

Rating ScaleRating Scale

The observations at test and re-test were scheduled at the same time of the day and when teachers reported that book reading and writing activities were scheduled to take place.

However, the reliability coefficient was affected by scores on the presence of full-group book reading, number of minutes spent on book-reading, observing an adult model writing, and observing an adult help a child write.

The observation of these behaviors at one time point and not another was the basis of the poor test-retest reliability found here.

Considerations When Using Considerations When Using the ELLCO in Researchthe ELLCO in Research

Consider performing a minimum of two pre-intervention and two post-intervention observations to determine if the scores on the ELLCO are stable and truly representative of the classroom.

Predetermine an amount of time to spend on observations to allow for consistent administration.

When measuring change in a classroom, schedule the observations at the same time as the first observation and when the teacher reports book reading and writing activities will take place to maximize the possibility of observing assessed behaviors.

Suggestions for Future ResearchSuggestions for Future Research

Determination of more controlled directions for performing ELLCO observation.

Consideration of how many observations in a given classroom are needed before stability of scores is obtained.