The Missouri Reader Vol. 36, Issue 2 | Page 27

childhood programs prior to kindergarten and
those who did not. A casual-comparative study
was utilized to determine if there was a
relationship between children’s scores on the
literacy section of the kindergarten screening of
those who attended preschool and those who did
not. A random sampling of scores from 70
kindergarten children was utilized: scores from
35 students with no preschool experience prior
to kindergarten, and 35 students who have
attended an early childhood program for at least
two years with an equal number of boys and girls
in each group. Archival data was obtained from
school records. The study was conducted at one
elementary school in southwest Missouri.
The DIAL-3 is a developmental screening test
that views development as a range of functioning
and not as a fixed point. The DIAL-3 is a
screening instrument; it’s not an intelligence test
or a diagnostic test. The purpose of this

assessment is to identify children with potential
developmental delays who are in need of further
assessment or special education. It also serves the
purpose of identifying children who may be “at
risk” for environmental or developmental
reasons. The screening can also be used for
research reasons. The DIAL-3 is also used as
training for people entering the field of early
childhood education, reading, and child and
family development. The scores the student
receives on the DIAL-3 can also be a guide for
teachers when preparing for the school year.
Results
Table 1 presents the statistical difference
using the Independent t-Test. The results
indicated there was a significant difference in the
scores on the language portion of the DIAL-3 in
students who attended preschool compared
student’s who did not.

Table 1. Independent Sample t-Test: Language Portion of the DIAL-3 Assessment Scores
Group Statistics
program
score

N

Mean

Std. Deviation

Std. Error Mean

1.00

35

19.4857

4.55923

.77065

2.00

35

21.9143

2.94430

.49768

©The Missouri Reader, 36 (2) p. 26