Yuxin Zhang, Tugce Bakir-Demir, Mele Taumoepeau, Karen Salmon, Elaine Reese
This study investigated the impact of an educator-implemented oral language intervention, Enhancing Rich Interactions (ENRICH), on linguistic aspects of educator-toddler interactions. Twenty-four early childhood classrooms were assigned to either ENRICH or an Active Control condition; ENRICH educators received professional development in serve-and-return interactions. For book-reading, results revealed effects of ENRICH for educators' shorter conversational turn length and children's increased utterances over time. An exploratory analysis further showed a more balanced child-to-educator conversational turn ratio during book-reading in ENRICH centers. However, there were no significant effects of ENRICH for linguistic aspects of educator-toddler interactions in mealtime, play, group, and diapering/toileting contexts. Professional development programs aimed at improving educator-toddler interactions should consider focusing on specific contexts where the intervention shows promise, alongside strengthening components targeting speech quality across daily routines. • An oral language intervention improved educator-child conversations across contexts. • The intervention created more balanced conversations during book reading. • Children spoke more during book reading after the intervention. • Language intervention effects are context-specific in early childhood classrooms.