The Effects of Age and Household Income on the Use of Literate Language Features

Abstract

This study examined the use of literate language features (LLFs) in the oral narratives of African American and Caucasian American preschoolers residing in either low- or middle-income homes to determine whether differences existed as a result of age or household income. The oral narratives of 96 preschoolers enrolled in public school programs and early childhood centers (including Head Start) were analyzed for the frequency of usage of five literate language features (adverbs, conjunctions, mental and linguistic verbs, simple elaborated noun phrases, and complex elaborated noun phrases) as a function of age (3, 4, and 5 years) and household income (low and middle). Preschoolers’ narratives did not differ in LLF types, but usage frequency increased for simple elaborated noun phrases and conjunctions. Preschoolers’ narratives did not differ based on household income.