A longitudinal study of children's early literacy experiences at home and later literacy development at home and school

Abstract

Studies of literacy attainment in the early years of school have identified various measures at school entry which predict later attainment. The study reported has sought not only to replicate earlier findings but to investigate significant home factors from a younger age. Literacy experiences of 42 children at ages 3, 5 and 7 were investigated, and the relationship of home factors to literacy development explored. Findings are reported concerning two outcome measures at age 7: children's reading level, as determined by the difficulty level of their school reading book, and whether or not children at age 7 were judged to have literacy difficulties. Significant factors included having favourite books at age 3; letter knowledge and parents reading to children at school entry; and at age 7, access to home computers, and parents' knowledge of literacy teaching in school. Children with literacy difficulties owned fewer books, were less likely to read to themselves or their parents, and generally had less support for literacy at home. Implications for teachers, highlighting the relevance of home literacy, are discussed. The findings underline the importance of home factors for children's literacy development. Etude longitudinale des premit?res experiences de lecture-kcriture d la maison et du dkveloppement ultkrieur de la lecture-kcriture d la maison et d l'kcoleCe texte est relatif au dkveloppment des moyens de prkvoir quels sont les enfants susceptibles de mener a bien leur entrke dans l'kcrit A l'kcole. I1 se propose de rtpliquer et d'klargir la recherche antkrieure relative aux caractkristiques prkdictives des premihes expkriences de lecture-kcriture.L'ktude a examink les expkriences en lecture-kcriture et les acquisitions de quarante deux enfants de 3, 5 , et 7 ans, ayant tous eu a un certain moment la mCme 0 United Kingdom Reading Association 1996. Published by Blackwell Publishers, significatifs on note le fait d'avoir un livre favori A 3 ans (facteur non rapporti jusqu'ici dans les autres recherches); la connaissance des lettres et la lecture faite A la maison par les parents A 5 ans; et, A 7 ans, l'acds 5 un ordinateur familial, et la connaissance par les parents de l'enseignement de la lecture effectue A 1'Ccole. Les enfants ayant des difficultes de lecture-Ccriture posskdaient moins de livres, avaient une moindre probabilite de lire d'eux-memes ainsi que leurs parents, et en gCntral Ctaient moins soutenus en lecture-kcriture A la maison. On sugghre que les efforts pour aider les enfants A aimer les livres A un 2ge prtcoce A la maison, et plus de communication parents-maitre A propos de la lecture-bcriture, devraient avoir des effets positifs sur le dkveloppement de la lecture-Ccriture des enfants. Les rksultats de cette recherche soulignent I'importance des facteurs familiaux pour le dheloppement de la lecture-Ccriture des enfants.

Potentials and Challenges of Family Literacy Interventions: The Question of Implementation Quality

“…In two well-known meta-analyses, Bus et al (1995) and Scarborough & Dobrich (1994) found significant effects of shared reading frequency on oral language abilities, code-related (pre-)literacy skills, and formal reading acquisition. Other researchers have established effects of other activities (Weinberger, 1996;Sénéchal et al, 1998;Van Steensel, 2006a).…”

Parent involvement and reading: Using curriculum‐based measurement to assess the effects of paired reading

“…Weinberger (1996) found that only 12 of 42 parents in her study felt they knew how reading was taught in school. According to McMackin (1993), "Once formal reading instruction begins .…”

Kindergarten Readiness and Performance of Latino Children Participating in Reach out and Read

“…Shared book reading is critical to the development of literacy skills [21,22]. Parentchild reading predicts later child outcomes [23][24][25]. Families living in poverty read together less frequently and own fewer books [26][27][28].…”