The general consensus in the field is that when the home language is different from the language of instruction in school then children's literacy attainments could slow down. In this 26‐year review of the literature on children's literacy attainments in low‐ to middle‐income countries, 40 correlational, ethnographic and intervention studies provide the data. We test the ‘home language advantage’ hypothesis where we expect children who speak the same language at home and school to show better literacy learning. We also examine other attributes in the home language and literacy environment (HLLE). Among the multivariate studies, trends differ across countries, age and grade levels, and child measures. Rather than a universal home language advantage, the evidence shows that home language advantage is context‐sensitive. The correlational and ethnographic evidence point to a multiple risk factors model of home and school language disconnection; and the ethnographic and intervention studies provide complementary evidence of both feelings of unease, disempowerment and wish to help among family members, and increased confidence following guided support. Possible underlying mechanisms are examined through parallel synthesis of evidence from multiple research methods on three HLLE dimensions—books‐at‐home, home tutoring and adult literacy practices. The data partially corroborate findings from high‐income countries (e.g. home environments impact literacy development, responsive parenting is present across families) but also bring focus on context‐specific realities. Neither low‐income nor low‐print environments are uniform constraints because communities differ and some homes use available resources more efficiently than others.

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Children's early numeracy outcomes set the foundation for mathematics learning in their future school years. This study examined how different family and individual variables were associated with the numeracy interest and competence of disadvantaged young children in the Philippines. The numeracy and literacy skills of 673 children living in low-middle income communities were tested. Their parents were also asked to complete a questionnaire on demographics, their home numeracy practices, attitudes about numeracy learning, and children's numeracy interest. Structural equation modelling analyses showed that children's numeracy interest was linked with their parents' practices and attitudes. Children's numeracy competence, on the other hand, was related to their gender, age, socioeconomic status, and literacy abilities. These findings suggest that family and individual variables might play different roles in disadvantaged children's early numeracy development. Moreover, parents can be encouraged to make effective use of home numeracy experiences to promote their children's numeracy competence. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? In developed countries, home environment is occasionally found to link with early numeracy development. Some individual variables are also found to play significant roles in early numeracy development. What does this study add? Among young Filipino children from disadvantaged backgrounds, home environment is related to numeracy interest. Family socioeconomic status plays a significant role in early numeracy competence. Early literacy and numeracy skills are interrelated with each other.

We examined the joint role of parental word reading skills and conventional home literacy environment measures among 320 Filipino low‐ to middle‐income families in Cebu City, Philippines with children aged 5–8 years old. A ranking of parent‐reported ratings of their frequency of engaging in home literacy activities and adult literacy practices revealed that book‐related behaviors were less frequently practiced relative to other behaviors, and mean ratings on the home literacy resources scale suggested a relatively print‐poor environment. Nevertheless, scale items about book reading and direct literacy instruction at home correlated with child's language and literacy skills. Structural equation modeling showed that parent's education and frequency of engaging in home literacy activities uniquely accounted for variance in child's oral language and print knowledge skills. In a second model, parent's word reading skills were significantly related to child's skills, but did not eliminate or attenuate influences from parent's education and home literacy activities. Results are important in relation to theories on the intergenerational transmission of literacy skills and the generalizability of findings from developed countries to developing country contexts.

The home learning environment includes what parents do to stimulate children’s literacy and numeracy skills at home and their overall beliefs and attitudes about children’s learning. The home literacy and numeracy environments are two of the most widely discussed aspects of the home learning environment, and past studies have identified how socioeconomic status and parents’ own abilities and interest in these domains also play a part in shaping children’s learning experiences. However, these studies are mostly from the West, and there has been little focus on the situation of homes in Asia, which captures a large geographical area and a wide diversity of social, ethnic, and linguistic groups. Therefore, this paper aims to review extant studies on the home literacy and numeracy environments that have been conducted in different parts of Asia, such as China, the Philippines, India, Iran, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Specifically, we explore how parents in these places perceive their roles in children’s early literacy and numeracy development, the methods they regard as effective for promoting young children’s literacy and numeracy learning, and the frequency with which they engage their young children in different types of home literacy and numeracy activities. We also examine studies on the relationship of the home literacy and numeracy environment with young children’s developmental outcomes, and the effectiveness of parent training programs to improve the home literacy and numeracy environments in these contexts. By examining potential trends in findings obtained in different geographical areas, we can initially determine whether there are characteristics that are potentially unique to contexts in Asia. We propose future research directions that acknowledge the role of cultural values and social factors in shaping the home learning environment, and, by extension, in facilitating children’s early literacy and numeracy development.

We investigated the influence of nonparental caregivers, such as foreign domestic helpers (FDH), on the home language spoken to the child and its implications for vocabulary and word reading development in Cantonese‐ and English‐speaking bilingual children. Using data collected from ages 5 to 9, we analyzed Chinese vocabulary, Chinese character recognition, English vocabulary, and English word reading among 194 native Cantonese‐speaking children in Hong Kong with English‐speaking FDHs (n = 46), children with Cantonese‐speaking FDHs (n = 32), and children with no FDHs who were spoken to in Cantonese (n = 116). Multilevel modeling results showed potential advantages in initial English vocabulary and disadvantages in initial Chinese character recognition among children in the English‐speaking FDH group, with no evidence for compounding or diminished costs or benefits over time. Results are discussed in relation to both theoretical and practical aspects of home language and literacy development.

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Early childhood interventions that target numeracy, language, and literacy skills can help to mitigate negative educational outcomes among young children from low- to middle-income families in developing countries. The current study evaluates the efficacy of parent coaching programs designed to enrich home numeracy and literacy environments in Cebu City, Philippines. A total of 673 families with 3- to 5-year-old children were randomly assigned to the numeracy, dialogic reading, early literacy skills training, and control groups. Following the 12-week intervention, children in the 578 families that participated in the posttest generally demonstrated a differential pattern of skill gains according to program content. Children in the numeracy group manifested improved basic and complex numeracy skills, and children in the dialogic reading group demonstrated gains in vocabulary knowledge for words in the books that they were exposed to, as well as print and word awareness, to a limited degree. Children in the early literacy skills training group had improved letter name knowledge, phonological awareness, and print and word awareness skills. Evidence of cross-domain transfer from early literacy skills training to some numeracy skills, as well as variations according to socioeconomic status, level of parental involvement, and teacher assignment in the program, were observed in the results. Results are discussed in relation to the specificity of program effects, cross-domain transfer effects, and improvements needed to maximize intervention program benefits among the children who need them the most.