The Home Literacy Environment Is a Correlate, but Perhaps Not a Cause, of Variations in Children’s Language and Literacy Development

Abstract

The home literacy environment is a well-established predictor of children’s language and literacy development. We investigated whether formal, informal, and indirect measures of the home literacy environment predict children’s reading and language skills once maternal language abilities are taken into account. Data come from a longitudinal study of children at high risk of dyslexia (N = 251) followed from preschool years. Latent factors describing maternal language were significant predictors of storybook exposure but not of direct literacy instruction. Maternal language and phonological skills respectively predicted children’s language and reading/spelling skills. However, after accounting for variations in maternal language, storybook exposure was not a significant predictor of children’s outcomes. In contrast, direct literacy instruction remained a predictor of children’s reading/spelling skills. We argue that the relationship between early informal home literacy activities and children’s language and reading skills is largely accounted for by maternal skills and may reflect genetic influences.

Intergenerational transmission of literacy skills among Filipino families

“…However, we explored the possibility that these associations between HLE and child's skills are eliminated or attenuated when parent's skills (as a proxy for genetic influences) are accounted for. Similar to results in the studies by van Bergen et al () and Puglisi et al (), parent's directly measured literacy abilities were a significant predictor of children's skills. However, in contrast to the two studies, accounting for parent's skills did not eliminate or attenuate the significant associations that existed between home literacy activities and children's oral and print skills.…”

“…In contrast, significant correlations were found between number of books, frequency of book reading, and frequency of direct literacy instruction at home, on the one hand, and children's oral and print skills, on the other hand. However, these correlations were generally weak in magnitude compared to the correlation between home literacy factors and children's skills found across different countries (van Bergen et al, ; Park, ; Puglisi et al, ).…”

“…Despite widespread acceptance of the Home Literacy Model, two recent studies drew on behavioral genetics literature to suggest that the relationship between HLE and children's literacy skills might not represent a “true” effect of environment via cultural transmission, but a masked genetic effect (van Bergen, van Zuijen, Bishop, & de Jong, ; Puglisi, Hulme, Hamilton, & Snowling, ). They argued that parent's word reading skills represented an overall “familial effect”; in effect, a combined influence wherein parents transmitted both genetic predispositions to literacy skills and an environment that encouraged their development.…”

Literacy practices of primary education children in Andalusia (Spain): A family‐based perspective

“…() have related children's literacy development to parents’ level of study, and Puglisi et al . () linked literacy to maternal linguistic skills. Both elements, the SES and educational level of parents, have been excellent predictors of childhood literacy (Grieshaber et al ., ).…”

“…Marcella et al (2014) found that low income predicts certain family literacy practices, such as the reading of books, games with magnetic letters and narrating stories of daily life which involve parents and their children interacting with literacy. In addition, Coddington et al (2014) have related children's literacy development to parents' level of study, and Puglisi et al (2017) linked literacy to maternal linguistic skills. Both elements, the SES and educational level of parents, have been excellent predictors of childhood literacy (Grieshaber et al, 2011).…”