Reach Out and Read Arabic to Promote Arabic Literacy in Toddlers

American University of Beirut Medical Center

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Child Development

Treatments: Behavioral: Reach out and Read

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03847675

PED.LC.13

Details and patient eligibility

About

The goal of this study is to encourage parents to read Arabic books to their children from an early age and by extension children will be more likely to read Arabic books and ultimately improve their Arabic literacy.

The investigators' hypothesis is that an adapted "Reach Out and Read" program will result in an increase in the proportion of parents reading Arabic books to their children after the intervention.

Full description

Early reading for toddlers has been linked to a better grasp of the fundamentals of language as they approach school age, as reading exposes the child to rich language and diverse content. Reach Out and Read program (ROR) is an American non-profit organization that advocates for childhood literacy.

In this study the investigators aim to implement an adapted version of the "Reach Out and Read" program and to encourage parents to read Arabic books to their children in order for this to become a daily habit. The goal of this study is to see an increase in the proportion of parents who read Arabic books to their children and by extension children will grow up loving to read Arabic books and ultimately may have improved Arabic literacy.

Enrollment: 20 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 4 to 6 months old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Parents must identify the study's settings as the usual site for their child regular checkups
• Families are eligible if at least one parent understands, speaks and reads Arabic.
• The child's age between 4 and 6 months at the time of the enrollment

Exclusion criteria

• Children diagnosed or displaying severe behavioral, cognitive, or physical impairment, that prevents them in meaningfully engaging in a reading activity example: severe autism, profound developmental or intellectual delay.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Triple Blind

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20 participants in 2 patient groups

Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

The research assistant introduces the adapted 'Reach out and Read" program and informs participants about the benefits of reading to children at an early age. A 4:50 minutes video clip would be shown during the initial visit. This video discusses the benefits of reading displaying practical tips for parents; it includes tips on how to read, pointing at the words. A schematic pamphlet highlighting the importance of reading Arabic to children and the impact of such reading on children's brain development, vocabulary acquisition and behavior in addition to the impact on the parent child bond and relationship is given to the parents. After each visit participants will receive an age appropriate book for their child. Focus groups will be conducted by a qualitative researcher

Treatment:

Behavioral: Reach out and Read

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

The research assistant gives routine advice on child development including importance of reading and advice on nutrition and safety and gives parents a leaflet about early child development and complementary feeding