Intergenerational Literacy Learning with Bilingual Families: A Context for the Analysis of Social Mediation of Thought

Abstract

This research initiative was undertaken to examine the effects of an intergenerational literacy program, held weekly for 2 hours over a 6-month period, on the measured English proficiency of nine bilingual families (9 parents, 15 children). The research was also conducted to explore the relationships among changes in the participants' use of identified categories of discourse during literacy activities and changes in their second-language competency on tests of literacy. Program goals were to encourage the parents to read storybooks to their children in the home as well as to provide literacy-based activities to family members, including storybook reading, hands-on projects related to the stories read, formal English instruction for the parents, and free play for the children. Sixteen observations (24 hours) of participants' discourse were conducted by the researcher and an assistant using a format adapted from research of family-based literacy learning and classroom discourse; semi-structured interviews with parents and teachers were also held. Results of pre-post comparisons of children's scores on the PLS and parents' scores on the CTBS revealed significant improvements. Frequencies of identified categories of parent-and-child discourse between the third and fifteenth observations were also compared and revealed several significant differences. Significant correlations were also found between participant test scores and differences in their use of identified categories of discourse. These empirical results, as well as descriptive findings, are interpreted using Vygotsky's (1978Vygotsky's ( ,1987 sociocultural theory of learning. It is proposed that teacher scaffolding strategies, as well as the parents' and children's efforts to linguistically mediate each other's learning, were integral to the gains in the families' second-language proficiency.Few educators would now quarrel with the conviction that children of cultural backgrounds dissimilar from the mainstream culture are more at risk of school

Head Start Teachers’ Vocabulary Instruction and Language Complexity During Storybook Reading: Predicting Vocabulary Outcomes of Students in Linguistically Diverse Classrooms

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The Many Faces of Learning to Read: The Role of Fathers in Helping Their Children to Develop Early Literacy Skills

“…This conclusion is supported by data from Thornburg (1993) suggesting that adults engaging in reading and writing activities may increase children's desire to emulate these adults. The first, curiosity of print, appears to be an artifact of children's natural inquisitiveness of their parents reading and writing activities.…”

“…The second theme, personal values and beliefs, may also contribute to increased early literacy involvement by parent and child (Thornburg, 1993). When parents discuss or model reading and writing activities with their children, they are sending a clear message that learning to read and write are important activities.…”

“…Research findings suggest that attitudes that parents hold toward literacy impact the type and amount of reading and writing engaged in by parents and their children (Thornburg, 1993). Research findings suggest that attitudes that parents hold toward literacy impact the type and amount of reading and writing engaged in by parents and their children (Thornburg, 1993).…”

Leyendo juntos (Reading Together): New Directions for Latino Parents' Early Literacy Involvement

“…Through a plan of reciprocity, parents can help schools identify texts that will enhance classrooms while educators, in turn, can seek out texts that can be shared with parents. engage in with their children (Thornburg, 1993;Yaden, Rowe, & MacGillivray, 2000). Although many parents expressed high expectations for the role of literacy in their children's lives, many felt they did not have enough information, training, or confidence to connect existing home literacy activities with academic achievement.…”