The development of vocabulary in primary school is of high importance. A foundation for toddlers’ school career can be laid by teaching new words in an efficient way. By doing so, all toddlers can...Show moreThe development of vocabulary in primary school is of high importance. A foundation for toddlers’ school career can be laid by teaching new words in an efficient way. By doing so, all toddlers can proceed school with the same level of reading and writing. Reading storybooks aloud in an interactive way is crucial when stimulating vocabulary development. Within the reading intervention program, e-Prent&ABC, the interactive reading of animated storybooks with a smartboard is combined with the 4-cycle word development model to learn new words in an effective way. A previous study stated that e-Prent&ABC has a positive effect on the vocabulary and language development of toddlers. This positive effect did not occur for toddlers who show inattentive-withdrawn or disruptive behavior. In the current study, e-Prent&ABC is extended to e-Prent&ABC+ by adding behavior regulating elements. Within e-Prent&ABC+, specific attention is paid to toddlers with problematic behavior. The purpose of the current study is to assess whether the learning behavior and vocabulary of toddlers with problematic behavior can be improved by e-Prent&ABC+, compared with e-Prent&ABC and the control condition (electronic Living Books). The influence of working memory on learning behavior and vocabulary is also examined. A total of 60 toddlers participated in this study, in which 30 toddlers showed inattentive-withdrawn or disruptive behavior, followed by 30 control children. Nine classes from three primary schools in Leiden completed three intervention weeks. The results of the current study showed that e-Prent&ABC is effective in increasing the vocabulary of toddlers. However, the behavior regulating elements of e-Prent&ABC+ were found to be ineffective. In future research, it is important to replicate e-Prent&ABC+ with a larger and more reliable sample. Due to its effectiveness within education, it is recommended to add the 4-cycle model and animated storybooks to current reading methods.Show less
