Effectiveness of Dialogical Reading Literacy Programs in Improving Language Skills and Literacy of Early Students

Abstract

Literacy programs for early childhood students are currently not optimal in involving parents in supporting program implementation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the dialogical reading literacy program intervention on the development of language skills and literacy skills of early childhood students. The research method used in this study was a quasi-experimental method to test the effectiveness of a dialogical reading literacy program at home on language development and literacy in early childhood students. The 200 early childhood students participated in this study, and at the same time involved their parents. The duration of this study was one year so that the impact of this preschool-home partnership intervention could be seen more clearly. The instruments used in this study included a questionnaire to reveal students' reading habits with their families, language and literacy assessments, receptive and expressive vocabulary assessments, taxonomic ability assessments, print awareness assessments, and activity sheets for dialogic reading activities. Validity and reliability tests were carried out empirically. Data analysis in this study used a linear hierarchical model with two levels of random intercept. The research findings show that the dialogical reading literacy program has proven effective in improving students' reading skills and literacy. Overall improvement was seen in four aspects of students' language skills and literacy, namely skills of receptive vocabulary, skills of expressive vocabulary, skills of print awareness, and taxonomy skills. So, the intervention of dialogical reading literacy programs by involving parents in dialogic reading activities is very effective in language development and early childhood literacy. This happens because there is mutual trust, a positive relationship between mentors and students, clear and focused goals, and is balanced between stimulus and response. The implication of this research is that parents must be active in carrying out reading activities together with their children to support language and literacy development, so that they are better prepared when they enter a school age.