Measuring preschool children's engagement behaviors during classroom shared reading: Construct and concurrent validity of the shared reading engagement rating scale

Abstract

Young children's engagement in shared reading refers to the extent of children's attention, behavioral involvement, and enjoyment during shared reading and has been treated as an indicator of reading-related motivation. In this study, we examined the Shared Reading Engagement Rating Scale, a measure of young children's engagement in classroom shared reading, and tested its validity using data collected from Head Start children (n = 263). We conducted explorative factor analysis and identified two factors, active and interactive engagement. Confirmatory factor analysis validated the proposed constructs of children's shared reading engagement. Multilevel simultaneous modeling showed that children's interactive engagement (not active engagement) significantly predicted early literacy skills in letter-word identification, picture vocabulary, sound awareness, and print awareness. The levels of shared reading engagement and their predictability of early literacy did not differ by children's gender or their home language.