The NSW English K-2 Syllabus (2022) introduced outcomes in the areas of Oral Language and Communication and Vocabulary. As a consequence of this change, the Hunter Christian School research project investigated the gap in oral language skills between disadvantaged children and their more advantaged counterparts. The crux of the project involved a small group intervention program with Kindergarten students in 2023 and 2024 using the Nuffield Early Language Intervention [NELI] from the UK.
The intervention focused on students’ development of oral language skills and examined the impact of the intervention on students’ oral language, literacy and socio-emotional outcomes via pre- and post-data collection. It also involved a longitudinal evaluation, tested six months after the completion of the intervention with each cohort to test retention of any gains made.
