Watching Arthur improves English narrative skill development in kindergarten English language learners more than an alternative educational program (potentially positive effects)¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r? · q3 · i2 medium
Currency · newest study 2006 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i2 Kindergarten English language learners who watched Arthur showed greater improvement in narrative skill development than comparison-group students watching Between the Lions, with a WWC-calculated effect size of 0.44 on the combined narrative measure that was not statistically significant but substantively important. → Arthur (WWC Intervention Report) 2006

Evidence¶

Arthur (WWC Intervention Report) 2006¶

Arthur (WWC Intervention Report). (2006). What Works Clearinghouse, U.S. Department of Education. http://pbskids.org/arthur/index.html

q3 · i2 · causal · r?

Randomized controlled trial in which 108 kindergarten Spanish-speaking English language learners were assigned to watch Arthur or Between the Lions; on the combined narrative measure the Arthur group's mean difference was 1.79 with effect size 0.44, rated ns. The report states the "average effect was large enough to be considered substantively important."

"Uchikoshi reported that students watching Arthur showed greater improvement in nar-rative skill development than students in the comparison group. Although the individual and average effects (as calculated by the WWC) were not statistically significant, the average effect was large enough to be considered substantively important."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Oral Language — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Mean clause length showed a small negative difference favoring the comparison group, not statistically significant — related
• The supporting evidence is a randomized controlled trial in which 108 kindergarten English learners watched 54 episodes of Arthur or Between the Lions over one school year — related
• The average improvement index for Arthur in English language development is +11 percentile points, ranging from –5 to +17 across findings — related
• The WWC rated Arthur as having potentially positive effects rather than positive effects because only one study met evidence standards and it lacked a strong design — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)