Children's Literacy Skills Research Articles

Early Indication of Reading Difficulty? A Descriptive Analysis of Emergent Literacy Skills in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder

In this pilot study, we describe emergent literacy skills and factors related to literacy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). A total of 38 parents and their children ( n = 18 with ASD; n = 20 typically developing) participated in this study. Our analyses revealed great variability in emergent literacy performance across the ASD sample, with many children demonstrating strengths in code-focused skills combined with difficulties with focused-meaning skills. Moderate to strong correlations were found between emergent literacy skills and indices of communication and cognition for the children with ASD. Although we did not detect overall group differences in parental beliefs related to literacy, moderate to robust relationships were identified between parental attitudes about literacy and various child developmental indices. Implications for the nature and timing of intervention and future research directions are discussed in light of these findings.

IMPROVING LITERACY SKILLS THROUGH THE LEARNING MODEL CHILD FIND IT IN CLASS IV SDN CIBEBER 1 CIMAHI

The research titled improving literacy skills through the learning model child find it in class iv sdn cibeber 1 cimahi based on the reduction of children ability in literacy skill in class IV. The method used in this research is Mix Method method (mixed qualitative and quantitative method) by comparing the learning outcomes of children before and after treatment. This research was conducted at SDN Cibeber 1 in South Cimahi District, Cimahi City. The results of this study is the increased ability to speak children as much as 70% after being given treatment find it. This shows that finding it can help improve children's literacy skills.

Getting a Read on Ready To Learn Media: A Meta-analytic Review of Effectson Literacy.

Most U.S. preschoolers have consumed media created with funding from the U.S. Department of Education's Ready To Learn (RTL) initiative, which was established to promote school readiness among children ages 2-8. Synthesizing data from 45 evaluations (N=24,624 unique child participants), this meta-analysis examined the effects of RTL media exposure on young children's literacy skills. Results indicate positive effects of RTL media exposure on children's literacy outcomes, especially vocabulary and phonological concepts. These effects are equivalent to about one-and-a-half months of literacy learning above and beyond typical growth. Findings are robust across a variety of research designs and for exposure to both television and new media. These results are discussed in terms of accountability evidence for RTL and larger debates in scholarly understanding of educational media effects.

Var befinner sig den svenska bilderboksforskningen? En kartläggning av bilderboksforskningens etablering och expansion

Title: An Overview of Picturebook Research in Sweden. Establishment and ExpansionAbstract: Picturebook research in the Nordic countries is in a vital and interesting phase, characterized by both established positions and expansion. The article discusses the development in the field, from the stage of initiation in the early 1980s to becoming an established and varied research area. A number of disciplines and lines can be traced in picturebook research today. While some researchers have focused on the history of the media, others have studied the complex relationship between the text and the images or tried to develop the theoretical framework of the medium. Another prominent approach is to investigate what happens in the reading experience and process and how picturebooks might develop children's literacy skills. Despite discipline or focus, picturebook research in Sweden has established itself as a special research field within children's literature research. While mainly discussing Swedish research, the article also attempts to demonstrate connections and differences with the research field in the other Nordic countries.

Not just numeracy and literacy: Theory of mind development and school readiness among low-income children.

The current study investigated the role of theory of mind development in school readiness among 120 low-income preschool and kindergarten children. A short-term longitudinal design was used to examine relations among theory of mind, the understanding of teaching, and learning behaviors and their collective role in children's literacy and numeracy skills at school entry. Results replicate differences in theory of mind development among low-income children as compared to typically studied, higher-income samples. Theory of mind and the combination of several sociocognitive variables successfully predicted concurrent relations with academic outcomes. Children's understanding of teaching predicted changes in literacy scores over time. Results are discussed in the context of what is known about theory of mind and sociocognitive development in school readiness. (PsycINFO Database Record

Hope for the Future and Literacy Achievement in a Sample of Impoverished South African Primary School Children

ABSTRACTThis article reports on a study that investigated the problem of hope for the future and literacy achievement in a sample of impoverished South African primary school children. data was collected through a quantitative survey that was administered to 160 learners from four classes of grades 5 to 7 at a school in Soweto township, Johannesburg, South Africa. The survey comprised five literacy tests that were standardised by Do-IT Profiler, an institute based in the United Kingdom (UK), and Shape the learner, a South African based consultancy. The results showed a statistically significant relationship between hope for the future and literacy scores, with learners who had less hope for the future scoring significantly lower on the literacy tests used in the study. Specifically, learners with less hope for the future performed noticeably lower in the real word test, followed by spelling, words spelt correctly, reading fluency, and non-word spelling. Based on social constructivist learning theory, positive psychology, and hope theory, the author discusses the implications of the findings for literacy achievement in children living in poverty. Several important recommendations are made, namely: the use of a methodological tool to identify specific literacy skills in children; the support that could be provided by educators and school psychologists; and a multilevel focus in targeting poverty eradication.

Modeling individual variation in early literacy skills in kindergarten children with intellectual disabilities

In the present study, we investigated (i) to what extent the early literacy skills (phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and word decoding) along with cognitive (nonverbal reasoning, attention, phonological short-term memory, sequential memory, executive functioning) and linguistic (auditory discrimination, rapid naming, articulation, vocabulary) precursor measures of 53 six-year old children with intellectual disabilities (ID) differ from a group of 74 peers with normal language acquisition (NLA) and (ii) whether the individual variation of early literacy skills in the two groups to the same extent can be explained from the precursor measures. Results showed that children with ID scored below the NLA group on all literacy and precursor measures. Structural equation modeling evidenced that in the children with NLA early literacy was directly predicted by phonological awareness, PSTM and vocabulary, with nonverbal reasoning and auditory discrimination also predicting phonological awareness. In children with ID however, the variation in word decoding was predicted by letter knowledge and nonverbal reasoning, whereas letter knowledge was predicted by rapid naming, which on its turn was predicted by attentional skills. It can be concluded phonological awareness plays a differential role in the early literacy skills of children with and without ID. As a consequence, the arrears in phonological awareness in children with ID might put them on hold in gaining proper access to literacy acquisition. What this paper addsThis paper adds to the theoretical knowledge base on literacy acquisition in a special population, namely children with intellectual disabilities (ID). It addresses factors that influence early literacy learning, which have not been investigated thoroughly in this special and specific group. Furthermore, the children are not tested solely on literacy, but also on cognitive measures that may influence literacy acquisition. Whereas most research in ID focuses on groups with specific syndromes/etiologies, this paper takes a varied group of children with ID into account. The paper also adds to educational insights, since the findings imply that children with ID are able to use phonological pathways in learning to read. Educators could teach these children phonics-based literacy skills tailored to their individual learning needs.

Positive discipline, harsh physical discipline, physical discipline and psychological aggression in five Caribbean countries: Associations with preschoolers' early literacy skills.

Physical punishment has received worldwide attention because of its negative impact on children's cognitive and social development and its implications for children's rights. Using UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys 4 and 5 data, we assessed the associations between positive discipline, harsh physical punishment, physical punishment and psychological aggression and preschoolers' literacy skills in 5628 preschool-aged children and their caregivers in the developing nations of Belize, the Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica and Suriname. Caregivers across countries used high levels of explanations and psychological aggression. There were significant country differences in the use of the four disciplinary practices. In the Dominican Republic and Guyana, physical punishment had negative associations with children's literacy skills, and in the Dominican Republic, positive discipline had a positive association with children's literacy skills. Findings are discussed with respect to the negative consequences of harsh disciplinary practices on preschoolers' early literacy skills in the developing world.

Paternal and maternal engagement across six Caribbean countries and childhood outcomes

Fathers' and mothers' cognitive and social engagement and their associations with preschoolers' literacy and social skills were assessed in Barbados, Belize, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, and Suriname using the UNICEF Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey 4 and 5. The sample consisted of 11,473 preschool-aged children and their parents. Mothers were far more likely to engage in cognitive and social activities with children than were fathers across all countries. Associations between maternal and paternal cognitive engagement and children's literacy skills were not consistent across countries. Preschool enrollment, number of books in the home, and household wealth were variously associated with maternal and paternal engagement and children's literacy skills across most countries. Associations between maternal and paternal social engagement and children's social skills were less clear. Data are interpreted in terms of the importance of early parental engagement relative to preschool enrollment and literacy resources in the home environment for childhood development in Caribbean countries.

The reality of reading in the Arab society and how to acquire their skills to face the digital future: case study: United Arab Emirates Community, Emirate of Fujairah

Is the reading of the key and the key drivers of the rise of the various peoples and civilizations, and cultures of the earth in all their diversity, because this activity is closely linked knowledge and science between different individuals, it also helps the development and renaissance and progress is very large.Cares librarians great interest in reading, and develop their skills and take care of it and the development tendencies among the beneficiaries, comes this interest on the grounds that librarians are the ones who provide the beneficiary materials literacy at all levels, and therefore reassured that the beneficiaries have acquired good reading skills comes at the forefront of their concerns when choosing materials literacy, and the extent of their appetite by beneficiaries and their request and use them useful. Thus, there is a strong relationship between reading, library, librarians and beneficiaries.The study represented a problem in reversing the reality of reading in Arab society and how to acquire the skills to face the digital future (Case Study: UAE Community - Emirate of Fujairah), this problem emerged because of the information explosion and the subsequent technological innovations compete book including advanced features not available in paper books. The objective of the study is to draw a road map to contribute to the restoration and development of literacy skills for all age groups, especially children, on the fact analysis and study of trends and dimensions, and provide some ideas that benefit the librarians and parents in the development of their children's literacy skills. To achieve the objectives of the study the researcher adopted the descriptive survey. It was clear the intellectual output on reading and its importance. It was the collection of scientific material by relying on several sources, including: the extrapolation of what is available on the study of the literature of theoretical and field studies are published, serves the subject of the study was to identify the aim of this study is to measure some of the themes and variables that help develop literacy skills and excellence by design.After the surgery the study has been reached on a set of findings and recommendations that could contribute to the promotion of reading, including: (emphasis on the importance of basing reading in general Arab societies in particular on the four themes are family and school Emirates and society, and the media, as well as societal dimension, technical challenge, and the need to highlight the family role in the promotion of reading and sustainability and educating parents and families of the 2importance of reading as the foundation of culture and the intake of knowledge culture, along with the need for dialogue and educational programs in the media promoting the book and provide awareness doses in the expansion of reading and sustainability, and guide the new generation to take advantage of modern technologies and interact with them in a way to enable them to acquire the skills of reading and cultural access, as well as the importance of training teachers and motivate them to transfer knowledge and entice students to read, and not the textbook consideration is the sole source of education, and the need for scientific studies and specialized documented measure the percentage level reading at school students.

Testing the family investment model in Russia: Estimating indirect effects of SES and parental beliefs on the literacy skills of first-graders

The family investment model provides a powerful perspective for understanding the processes underlying relations between parents’ SES and children’s achievement. The extant research on the role of parental investments has largely built on U.S. studies. The present work extended this line of investigation to a novel context by testing family investments as a proximal link between SES and child outcomes in Russia. The study focused on predictors of literacy skills in children entering primary school. It examined the pathways from parental education, income and beliefs to children’s literacy skills through family investments: resources available at home, joint parent-child literacy activities and access to outside-home resources and activities. As hypothesized, these investments mediated the relation of parental income and education to child literacy, with education being more strongly related to child outcomes than income. Beliefs about the importance of developing literacy skills prior to school were found to be independent of SES and linked to child outcomes through the same sorts of family investments as SES. The findings show the robustness of the family investment model across diverse contexts and advance our understanding of the model by incorporating parental beliefs in its current framework.

Enhancing children's literacy skills: designing the Q‐Tales ecosystem for children's e‐book design and publication

AbstractThis article describes the conceptualisation and development of a pedagogical framework to support the design of e‐books for children to enhance literacy development. It emerged from research undertaken within the Q‐Tales international consortium project of the EU's Horizon 2020 Programme for Research and Innovation, where the aim was to facilitate key stakeholders to collaborate and participate in the online production and publication of high‐quality, educational e‐books for children. The pedagogical framework described here sought to answer the question “What concepts and principles undergird the effective design of pedagogically impactful e‐books for children?” It is grounded by the theoretical underpinnings of socio‐constructivism, constructionism and skill theory, and how they relate to children's literacy development. A framework describing different narrative forms and component features, key pedagogical activities appropriate for different stages of reading development and design recommendations regarding the integration of multimedia into e‐books are also central to the pedagogical framework. As well as informing the design of the Q‐Tales infrastructure for children's e‐book design and publication, we hope the guidelines and pedagogical activities enumerated here will be widely useful for those designing and developing digital, interactive narratives, particularly e‐books to enhance children's emerging literacy.

The Use of Direct Spelling Instruction for Children With Language Impairment

Children with language impairment frequently struggle with written language skills such as spelling. With their expertise in language, speech-language pathologists are in the position to promote the development of such skills. One way to do this is through the use of direct spelling instruction which has been shown to facilitate growth in a number of literacy skills such as phonemic awareness, reading, and spelling. This article outlines a 10-week direct spelling intervention program that is aimed at improving the literacy skills of children with language impairment. This treatment protocol may be adapted as necessary to meet the needs of individual students.

Evaluating the efficacy of the Headsprout© reading program with children who have spent time in care

This study investigated whether Headsprout©, an internet‐based phonics program designed on behavioral principles, is an effective supplementary tool to improve literacy skills of children who have spent time in care and are at risk of reading failure. Participants were 8 children (aged 5 to 10) who had spent over 3 years in care and were fully adopted at the time of the study. Participants' literacy skills were assessed prior to intervention using 2 standardized reading attainment tests. Participants were then randomly assigned to either treatment or a waiting list comparison group. There were 2 Headsprout© treatments, but all participants in the treatment group completed 1 HeadsproutStartCopTextStartCopText© lesson 4 times per week, under the supervision of the first author, while participants in the comparison group interacted with the first author 4 times per week engaging in nonliteracy‐based computer activities. Results from 2 standardized reading attainment tests showed an improvement in word recognition age and oral reading fluency for the HeadsproutStartCopTextStartCopText© learners but scores either remained the same or decreased over a 4‐month period for participants in the comparison group. The findings support the wider use of HeadsproutStartCopTextStartCopText© with at‐risk children though more research is clearly warranted at this time.

Can earlier literacy skills have a negative impact on future home literacy activities? Evidence from Japanese

We examined the cross‐lagged relations between the home literacy environment and literacy skills in Japanese, and whether child's gender, parents' education and child's level of literacy performance moderate the relations. One hundred forty‐two Japanese children were followed from Grades 1 to 2 and assessed on character knowledge, reading fluency and spelling. Their parents responded to a questionnaire assessing the frequency of their teaching and shared reading. Results showed that parent teaching increased and shared reading decreased from Grades 1 to 2. Cross‐lagged path analysis indicated that the literacy skills in Grade 1 were negatively associated with parent teaching in Grade 2. The results further suggested that more educated parents of higher performing children, particularly boys, adjusted their involvement to their children's literacy skills, while less educated parents of lower performing children did not. These findings indicate the importance of parents' sensitivity to their child's performance.What is already known about this topic Home literacy environment (HLE) plays an important role in children's literacy acquisition in Western and some East Asian contexts. Children's early reading skills can have an impact on later HLE. The direction of the relationship between HLE and children's reading skills may change from positive in Kindergarten to negative in Grade 1. What this paper adds In line with the findings of previous studies in other languages, Japanese parents adaptively adjust their home literacy activities to their child's literacy skills. The effect of children's literacy skills on later shared reading is stronger among boys than among girls. More educated parents of higher performing children adjust their involvement to their child's literacy skills, while less educated parents with lower performing children do not. Implications for theory, policy or practice We should encourage parents to be sensitive to their child's literacy skills to help them build a foundation that will boost future literacy development. This can be particularly true of less educated parents with poorly performing children. We should encourage educators to communicate the children's literacy achievement to their parents and also suggest the means by which HLE could be beneficial for their children's literacy development.

PENGAJARAN MEMBACA DAN MENULIS BAGI PESERTA DIDIK TUNARUNGU

Reading and writing skills is coverage of more complex language skills of listening and speaking skills. We need the best approach in developing the literacy skills of children with hearing impairment. In some studies that focus on accuracy syntax hearing impaired children, it was found that they tend to use many of the same phrases over and over again in simple sentences, a little more complex sentences, and make lots of small mistakes in the use of sentence structure, word number, the use of pronouns and said pointer, and so on. This paper discusses several options approach in teaching reading and writing skills of deaf children, namely (1) conversations from heart to heart (perdati), (2) read ideovisual (percami), (3) read receptive, (4) the exercise of reflective, and (5) conversation or conversations linguistic grammar or also called reflective conversation grammar.

Leveraging the Skills of Nurses and the Power of Language Nutrition to Ensure a Better Future for Children.

Early language exposure is critical for language acquisition and significantly influences a child's literacy skills. However, preterm infants may experience language deprivation in the neonatal intensive care unit. Nurses are vital to helping parents understand their critical role in early language development. To discuss the impact of language-rich interactions and interventions that promote early language exposure, or Language Nutrition, by parents and caregivers on the long-term developmental, language, and educational outcomes of high-risk infants. A literature search was conducted using PubMed and Web of Science to identify articles that examined the influence of language interactions with high-risk infants on developmental outcomes. Recent campaigns touting the importance of early language exposure were identified through the Bridging the Word Gap Research Network. Increasing preterm infants' exposure to Language Nutrition improves their language development, promotes parent-infant attachment, and decreases parent stress. In addition, it may result in greater neuroplasticity and volume of the auditory cortex. Several campaigns have been developed to increase children's access to Language Nutrition and can be implemented into everyday pediatric and neonatal care. Pediatric, neonatal nurses and advanced practice nurses are uniquely positioned to play a transformational role in high-risk infants' developmental trajectory by educating parents about the importance of Language Nutrition and supporting parents as they engage with their infant. Studies investigating the population-level impact of interventions aimed at increasing infants' access to Language Nutrition as well as studies identifying effective ways to communicate messages about Language Nutrition are warranted.

Child temperamental regulation and classroom quality in Head Start: Considering the role of cumulative economic risk.

There is growing recognition that cumulative economic risk places children at higher risk for depressed academic competencies (Crosnoe & Cooper, 2010; NCCP, 2008; Sameroff, 2000). Yet, children’s temperamental regulation and the quality of the early childhood classroom environment have been associated with better academic skills. This study is an examination of prekindergarten classroom quality (instructional support, emotional support, organization) as a moderator between temperamental regulation and early math and literacy skills for children at varying levels of cumulative economic risk. The sample includes children enrolled in Head Start programs drawn from the FACES 2009 study. Three main findings emerged. First, for lower and highest risk children, more instructional support was associated with better math performance when children had high levels of temperamental regulation but poorer performance when children had low temperamental regulation. Second, among highest risk children, low instructional support was protective for math performance for children with low temperamental regulation and detrimental for those with high temperamental regulation. Third, for highest risk children, high classroom organization predicted better literacy scores for those with high temperamental regulation. Children with low temperamental regulation were expected to perform about the same, regardless of the level of classroom organization. Implications are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved)

Preschool Attendance, School Progression, and Cognitive Skills in East Africa

We study the effects of preschool attendance on children's school progression and cognitive skills in Kenya and Tanzania. Our analysis uses novel data from large-scale household surveys of children's literacy and numeracy skills, which also collect retrospective information on preschool attendance. Against the backdrop of a large expansion of pre-primary education, our regressions identify the impacts from within-household differences, controlling for a variety of child-specific covariates. In both countries, children who go to preschool tend to enroll in primary school late, and thus fall behind in terms of grades completed at early ages. However, once in school, they progress through grades faster and at ages 13-16 have completed about one and a half more months of schooling than their same-aged peers who did not attend preschool. They also score around 0.10 standard deviations higher on standardized cognitive tests, showing that there are important longer-term benefits from preschool in Kenya and Tanzania.

The Letterbox Club book gifting intervention: Findings from a qualitative evaluation accompanying a randomised controlled trial

It is now widely accepted that reporting the results of randomised controlled trials should encompass a complimentary focus on both outcome measures and process measures. Reflective of the current thinking, this article reports on the findings from a qualitative evaluation that accompanied a randomised controlled trial of the Letterbox Club; a book gifting intervention for children in foster care. Outcome measures used in the trial have recently been reported on (Mooney, Winter, & Connolly, 2016). Findings showed no significant effects in terms of improvements to children's literacy skills and/or enjoyment of reading. Through in-depth interviews with 20 foster children, their carers and the programme developer, the qualitative evaluation focused on how and why the intervention did not achieve greater impact. Findings illustrate differences between the ‘hoped for’ outcomes of the intervention, and carer/child levels of engagement with and experiences of the programme. In order to move the programme forward and begin to explore the findings, a logic model is suggested which accounts for the current findings regarding the use and lived experiences which carers had with the packs. Wider implications for the conduct of these types of randomised controlled trials are discussed.