The story so far: A systematic review of the dialogic reading literature

Background Dialogic reading (DR; Whitehurst et al., 1988) is an evidence‐based intervention that promotes children's active participation in shared reading (Towson, 2016; Urbani, 2020; WWC, 2007, 2010). Since the development of DR, there has been a proliferation of studies evaluating the conditions and populations with which it is effective. However, to date, there has not been a systematic review of the literature focusing specifically on the impact of DR on the literacy and non‐literacy skills of children under 10 years old. As DR research evolves, it is important that a review of the existing literature is undertaken to capture these advances and guide future research. Methods Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses protocol, the aim of this review is to systematically explore, synthesise and critically evaluate the extant literature. A systematic search of electronic databases identified 46 relevant studies, and the overall methodological quality of the studies was assessed using the MMAT. Results Findings are organised according to sample and population, country of origin and setting, programme duration, language and literacy outcomes, social‐emotional and other cognitive outcomes, impact and effect sizes to provide overview and insight into where and with whom DR is most effective. Conclusions The review findings suggest DR can positively impact a wide range of language and literacy skills for children under 5 years. There is some evidence that DR can have positive effects on enjoyment of reading, reading motivation, parental–child attachment, parental confidence and stress. However, the extant research is subject to limitations, and more methodologically robust research is needed to enable thorough assessment of the conditions in which DR is most effective.