A r c h i v e d  I n f o r m a t i o n

I.    Literacy Development During the Preschool Years

Workshop 3
Promoting Language and Literacy Growth: Early Child Care and Education

Speaker:
Barbara Bowman, President, Erikson Institute, NRC Reading Study Committee Member, Chicago, Illinois

Moderator:
Naomi Karp, Director, National Institute on Early Childhood Development and Education, Office of Educational Research and Improvement, U.S. Department of Education

Abstract:
Research with preschoolers has demonstrated that reading to children can foster language, promote vocabulary development, and increase knowledge about concepts of print. In addition, activities that highlight the sound structure within spoken words (e.g., rhyming, and games that depend on switching sounds in words) can facilitate learning to read. Last, knowledge of word meanings, an understanding that print conveys meaning, and some understanding of how printed letters code the sounds of language contribute directly to success in reading development.

Failure to develop an adequate vocabulary, understanding of print concepts, or the sounds of language awareness during the preschool years puts some children at risk for long-term reading difficulties. Interventions should provide a rich language and literacy environment that includes the promotion of vocabulary, the understanding of print concepts, and the sounds of language. Preschools and other group care settings for young children, too often offer poor language and literacy environments. With more young children entering group care settings as their mothers join the work force, it is critical that the preschool opportunities available to lower-income families foster language and literacy development.

The National Research Council report recommends that all children, especially those at risk for reading difficulties, should have access to early childhood environments that promote language and literacy growth. Specifically, the report recommends the following activities: (1) reading that stimulates children’s verbal interaction, fosters language and vocabulary development and knowledge about print concepts; (2) activities that direct young children’s attention to the sounds of language (e.g., games, songs and poems that emphasize rhyming or manipulation of sounds); and (3) activities that highlight the relations between print and speech.

Participants will leave with ideas that parents and other caregivers can use to build young children’s language, literacy, and reading skills.

Notes

The NAS study is a summary of well founded research and it gives a clear idea of some of the important variables in children learning to read. However it is not a blueprint for teaching reading. Teachers need to be able to understand and use the research.

Individual and Group Risk Factors for Early Reading Difficulties

Group Risk Factors

• Group Risk is defined as a statistically higher probability that children from a specific group will exhibit a characteristic.
• It does not mean that all children in the group will exhibit a characteristic.

Risk Factors for low income children learning to read:

• Too few health resources
• More children are born with physical health problems
• Parents are often very stressed
• Less time to read with children
• Communities are likely to be highly disorganized - ineffective community resources
• Problems with drugs, violence, etc.
• Income level of the school the child attends - poor schools
• Better teachers tend to teach in better schools
• Teachers tend to have lower expectations for lower income children
• Limited English

Individual Risks:

• Learning to read falls on a normal curve, as do other skills. Children learn on their own timetable. Many of the aspects of reading are maturationally driven.
• Language development is one of the best predictors of reading difficulties. Adults should use a variety of words when talking to children and they should give children an opportunity to talk.
• We don?t know what the thresholds are for talking to children - How much is enough?
• Different cultures have different ideas about how much adults should talk to children.
• There are multiple ways for children to learn language - There is no one right way but there is a school way.

Other risk factors:

• Children with parents with histories of reading difficulties.
• Children who acquired less knowledge and skills in preschool years.
• Children who lack age-appropriate skills in literacy related cognitive linguistic processing, especially phonological.
• Children with a hearing impairment - Deaf children need to be taught sign language.

Families and Child Care

• How do families fit into literacy?
• A parent?s emotional investment (the emotional satisfaction they get from reading) has a large impact on a child?s feelings about reading.
• Many parents are not in a position to do all the things their children need. Schools need to get behind daycare centers, head start programs, etc. to improve quality.
• The report does not say anything on instructional strategy. The information needs to be explicit in the model of choice.

Questions and Comments

Q. How does dialect affect learning to read?

A. The problems come when the teacher and child speak different dialects.

Q. Inventive spelling lets children explore the alphabetic principle but eventually you have to correct them-How soon should that be done?

A. There are many ways to phase in correct spelling. It is especially important to use inventive spelling in Kindergarten.

Q. How do you deal with issues concerning diversity when teachers are very busy and working families don?t have much time?

A. It is difficult for us to get out of our cultures. The best bet is for us to be honest and straightforward with parents and try to be sensitive. It is important for teachers to communicate the rules of the school. It is also important for teachers to go out into their children?s communities. Encourage teachers and families to reflect on practice. It doesn?t do any good to tell people what to do. It doesn?t make them change their behavior. It is important to build in time for reflection. It is also best to work with parents and the child at the same time, not just the parents.

Q. What is the best way to handle poor grammar when a child dictates a story?

A. The first few stories the teacher writes the story verbatim, then reads the story back and asks for clarification and then corrects the document. Then the teacher starts to correct simultaneously, with discussion. It is also helpful for children to enact their stories. It helps them figure out sequence.

Q. Please elaborate on the effectiveness of parent education.

A. When parents come because they want to change they generally change. When they don?t want to change they don?t tend to change. Often times what we are suggesting does not fit into their lifestyle. Much of what we are telling them to do, they can?t do due to their environment and the stress it causes. Day to day living takes precedence over things that feel uncomfortable or unnatural. The parent influences the child and the child influences the parent. Parents are more likely to read to their child if the child asks them to. A challenge of parent education is to be explicit about information in a way they find meaningful and enjoyable.

Q. Why aren?t people (teachers) buying into it (activities that promote literacy skills)? Is it because the results are too slow?

A. We need better instruction for early care providers. The turnover is too high. Too often after completing training teachers change occupations. Teachers have had a hard time dealing with increased amounts of children with emotional problems. There is not much time left over. Teachers are relying on technology too much for literacy work - They need more training on the appropriate use of it.