Associations among preschool children's home and school literacy environments, interest in literacy activities, and emergent literacy skills
Abstract
This study examines the relation among home and school literacy environments, children's interest in literacy activities, and children's emergent literacy skills in a sample of 167 four-and five year-old children enrolled in 31 Head Start classrooms. Interest was defined as enjoyment of and frequency of participation in literacy activities. Parents completed questionnaires on their family's demography and home literacy environment. Researchers rated the school literacy environment. Children were assessed on their interest in literacy activities using four measures: parent-, teacher-, child-reports of children's enjoyment of and frequency of participation in literacy activities, and observers reported on children's frequency of participation and engagement in literacy activities during large group and free play. Children were assessed on three emergent literacy skills: letter/word knowledge, phonological awareness, and expressive language. Interest measures were not highly correlated. Parent-reported child interest mediated the association between the home literacy environment and emergent literacy outcomes. Teacher-reported child interest mediated the association between school literacy environment and emergent literacy outcomes. Observer-reports of frequency of participation in literacy activities during free play were associated with the school literacy environment and phonological awareness where as engagement during large group was not associated with the classroom environment, but was associated with all emergent literacy outcomes. Child-reported literacy interest was not associated with literacy environment or emergent literacy. The implications of the findings and comparisons among the different approaches to measuring preschoolers' literacy interest are discussed, as are directions for future research.
Degree
Ph.D.
Advisors
Diamond, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Early childhood education|Developmental psychology|Individual & family studies
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