Language Comprehension Interventions for English Learners With or at Risk for Reading Difficulties: A Research Synthesis

This research synthesis examined the characteristics and outcome patterns of reading interventions that included language comprehension instruction for elementary-aged English learners (ELs) with or at risk for reading difficulties. Studies were included if they examined multisession, primarily English reading interventions in U.S. K–5 school settings for ELs with or at risk for reading difficulties, used experimental or quasi-experimental group designs (≥15 students per group), and reported language or reading comprehension outcomes. Nine studies met the inclusion criteria (total N = 2,008). Across studies, language comprehension instruction was most often embedded within multicomponent reading interventions rather than implemented as a standalone focus. Vocabulary instruction was the most prevalent language component, whereas morphology was less common and explicit syntax/semantic relations were rare. All interventions also included code-based instruction (e.g., decoding instruction), which complicated isolation of language-specific effects. Across outcomes, findings were mixed, with several studies reporting growth in both intervention and business-as-usual conditions. Implications are discussed for designing and studying developmentally responsive language comprehension instruction within reading intervention for ELs at risk.