Children's Literacy Research Articles

Parental financial inclusion and child proficiency in low-income settings: Family effects

Sustainable Development Goal 4 highlights universal education, yet in low-income economies, educational achievement levels, such as children's proficiency, often fall short of satisfactory standards. This study explores how family traits link parental financial inclusion to children's proficiency, using recent Ghana Living Standard Survey data 2016/2017 (round 7). Non-linear probit regression was employed, with standard errors corrected for both within cluster dependence and heteroscedasticity, yielding the following findings. This study highlights the connection between parents' financial inclusion and their children's proficiency levels, with outcomes varying based on family dynamics. Having bank accounts positively affects children's literacy, especially in households with educated mothers and male heads. Gender differences are notable in insurance and loan uptake, possibly reflecting different risk attitudes. The study recommends tailoring financial inclusion policies to accommodate family-specific traits.

Caregivers’ reports of the home literacy environments of children with developmental language disorder and typically developing peers during the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose Children with developmental language disorder (DLD) are at heightened risk for reading difficulty. We investigated the home literacy environments of kindergarten children with DLD and typically developing (TD) peers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method We analysed scores from standardised assessments of oral language, nonverbal intelligence, and word reading in conjunction with home literacy questionnaire data at three time points. Result Frequency of engagement in home literacy activities did not differ by group during school closures or when schools reopened. Caregivers from both groups reported increased home literacy engagement during closures. Engagement returned to pre-pandemic levels when schools reopened. For the DLD group, the child’s word reading ability and interest in literacy were positively associated with the home literacy environment. Family history of language and/or literacy difficulty was negatively associated with the home literacy environment. For the TD group, only the child’s interest in literacy was positively associated with the home literacy environment. Conclusion These findings elucidate the need for further research related to home literacy and families of children with DLD, with a focus on identifying potential strengths and vulnerabilities related to child and caregiver factors.

Penguatan Nilai Etika dan Moral Melalui Sosialisasi Anti Bullying : Studi Kasus SD Negeri 02 Desa Banyuurip

Bullying is a phenomenon that has become a global concern in recent decades. This problem is not limited to one country or culture, but is widespread throughout the world, reaching various levels of society, including in educational environments. The purpose of this implementation is to improve the ability and awareness of bullying and also children's literacy interests at SDN 2 Banyuurip. There are 3 methods used in this implementation, namely: preparation stage, assessment stage, program implementation stage. With this anti-bullying socialization at SDN 02 Banyuurip Village which can help reduce bullying behavior in the educational environment, teaching about empathy and respect for differences can help children understand and respect each other. Social relationships between are often closer because they grow up in small communities. Peer pressure can affect children's behavior, both in terms of bullying and positive attitudes. building supportive and inclusive social groups can help minimize bullying.

The Influence of Reading and Writing Literacy in Introducing Islamic Values in Early Childhood at TK Putra II Serang

This study aims to analyze the effect of reading and writing literacy on the understanding and acceptance of Islamic values in early childhood at Putra II Kindergarten, Serang District. Using associative method and quantitative approach, this study examines the relationship between the independent variable, namely reading and writing literacy, and the dependent variable, namely understanding and acceptance of Islamic values. This study used SPSS version 24 software to analyze numerical data obtained from questionnaires and observations. The research subjects were early childhood children with an age range of 4 to 6 years old with a total of 54 children. This research is required to make an important contribution to the development of more effective Islamic religious education methods at the early childhood education level. The hypothesis tested is that there is a positive and significant influence between reading and writing literacy and understanding of Islamic values in early childhood. The research was conducted at TK Putra II Serang from May to June 2024. The limited time for data collection and analysis may have affected the findings. This research will also analyze the long-term impact of implementing learning that integrates literacy and Islamic values in early childhood. Thus, this study can provide empirical evidence on the benefits and effectiveness of this approach in preparing children to have good literacy skills and a strong understanding and appreciation of religious values. The results showed that the value of r is smaller than the level a used which is 0.000 or 0.000 <0.05 so that Ho is rejected and Ha is accepted, which means that there is a significant effect of reading and writing skills on Islamic values at Putra II Serang Kindergarten

Translanguaging and early childhood literacy: Themes and possibilities for theory, pedagogy, and policy

Translanguaging and early childhood literacy: Themes and possibilities for theory, pedagogy, and policy

Growing Quranic Literacy Through Mother's Quranic Stories Toward Their Children

Mother plays an important figure in a child’s life. Children can learn various things from their mothers, so, naturally, mothers have a bigger role in introducing Islamic values into children’s lives. This research aims to find the right way to foster Al-Quran literacy in children’s mothers. This research uses a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental method. The research participants were mothers who had primary education and young children. The research results proved that the experimental class gain was 0.522 or was in the medium category, higher than the control group. This explains that continuous training can improve the understanding and skills of mothers with basic education. And this can help mothers to carry out literacy activities at home that are appropriate to the child’s development and meet Islamic values. The work created by mothers and children makes children enthusiastic about taking part in Quranic literacy learning and fosters children’s interest in knowing various things in the Al-Quran. Keywords: Al-Quran Literacy, mothers and children, Quranic stories

BUDAYA LITERASI PADA ANAK USIA DINI ERA SOCIETY 5.0 DI PANTI ASUHAN RUMAH ANAK HARAPAN GUNUNGSITOLI

Through this Community Service Activity aims to provide understanding and knowledge to early childhood in the Rumah Anak Harapan Orphanage (RANAH) in Gunungsitoli City. In this Community Service Activity involved 3 lecturers and several students as participants who accompanied and all the children who dated at the Rumah Anak Harapan Orphanage (RANAH). Cultivating a culture of literacy in children needs to be instilled early, because at that age children enter the golden period or often called the golden age. Early childhood is a child aged zero to six years, during this period the child experiences very rapid development and growth, so that the habits that children do from an early age will also become habits when children grow up. The results obtained from PkM activities which have been carried out face-to-face using the lecture method are: (1) Early childhood reading literacy, writing literacy and student creativity have increased, (2) Understanding of breastfeeding home managers regarding literacy activities in schools has increased, (3) The Orphanage management continues to try to find information related to literacy activities. (4)t Establishment of a Cooperation Agreement (PKS) between the Indonesian Language and Literature Education Study Program, Faculty of Teacher Training and Education, Nias University and the Rumah Anak Harapan Orphanage (RANAH).

Understanding the physical literacy development of 8- to 12-year-old children living with chronic medical conditions: A comprehensive, mixed methods inquiry.

Physical literacy is a concept used to describe the combined physical, affective and cognitive capacities facilitating an active lifestyle. Physical activity participation is essential for children living with chronic medical conditions, but knowledge of physical literacy among this group is scarce. An explanatory, sequential mixed methods design was used to comprehensively describe the physical literacies of children with chronic medical conditions (CMCs). Participants were recruited from paediatric cardiology, respirology/cystic fibrosis, neurology, haematology and endocrinology outpatient clinics. All participants completed the Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy (2nd Edition), and those with higher and lower scores were invited to a semi-structured interview. A deductive-inductive thematic analysis was applied using Margaret Whitehead's conceptualization of physical literacy. Using normative strata, 80.0% of the 99 children assessed (mean age = 9.97 ± 1.3years, 48% girls) were considered beginning or progressing in their overall physical literacy (mean score = 56.5 ± 13.8/100). Meanwhile, physical literacy informed participants' approach to new, active experiences and may have contributed to a strong sense of self. There was a significant difference between endocrinology and haematology patients on total physical literacy score (p = 0.03) but not domain scores. Participants scored high on motivation/confidence (mean = 22.9 ± 5.0/30) but obtained low physical competence (mean = 11.8 ± 5.6/30) and daily behaviour scores (n = 72, mean = 15.5 ± 7.1/30). Main themes represent salient experiences of children with CMCs within the domains of physical literacy, including their need to evaluate active contexts, self-regulate activity intensity and manage physical limitations. Children with CMCs can achieve recommended levels of physical literacy without meeting normative standards for physical competence. Participants would benefit from a physical literacy intervention that targets the development of bodily self-regulation skills and risk evaluation in active settings.

Pentingnya Penerapan Literasi Membaca untuk Meningkatkan Berbahasa dan Menulis Bagi Anak Usia Dini

This article discusses the importance of implementing reading literacy for early childhood in improving language and writing skills. Reading literacy is the ability to understand and use written texts in everyday life. The application of reading literacy in early childhood has significant benefits in developing children's language and writing skills.In this article, we will explain why reading literacy is important for young children. Apart from that, we will also discuss the benefits that children gain in developing language and writing skills through the application of reading literacy. Finally, this article will provide several practical strategies and suggestions for parents and educators to implement reading literacy in early childhood.In conclusion, implementing reading literacy in early childhood is very important in improving children's language and writing skills. By introducing children to reading literacy from an early age, children will have a strong foundation in understanding written texts, develop language skills, and improve writing abilities. It is hoped that this article will provide useful insights for parents and educators in understanding the importance of reading literacy for early childhood.

Effectiveness of a community-led shared book reading intervention in Syrian refugee children: a randomised controlled trial

Community-led, shared book reading programs may help improve refugee children’s reading abilities and attitudes towards reading. We Love Reading (WLR)—a light-touch, community-led, shared book reading program—was evaluated in a pre-registered, wait-listed, randomised controlled trial (AEARCTR-0006523). 322 Syrian refugee mother–child dyads (children: 4–8-year-olds, 50.0% female) in Jordan were tested at two timepoints, 15 weeks apart. WLR did not significantly affect child literacy or child-reported child attitudes toward reading (ps > 0.05). Mothers did report improved child attitudes toward reading from WLR (p = 0.046, η2 = 0.013). The intervention did not lead to improvements in family relationships (ps > 0.05). WLR may have promise in improving attitudes toward reading in forcibly displaced children but did not affect literacy or child-reported attitudes toward reading; these results provide insight into what changes are needed for effective shared book reading interventions in this population.

Penerapan Metode Membacakan Buku Cerita Untuk Meningkatkan Kemampuan Literasi Anak Usia Lima Sampai Enam Tahun di Tk XYZ [Application of the Story Book Reading Method to Improve the Literacy Skills of Five to Six Year Old Children in XYZ Kindergarten

<div><p class="1eAbstract-text">The results of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) research on the literacy test of Indonesia's Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) show that Indonesia's literacy ability is still low. Literacy skills are needed as a twenty one century skill that must be mastered from an early age. One way to increase literacy is to read storybooks. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the method of reading storybooks to early childhood literacy skills. The method used in this study is quantitative descriptive by distributing questionnaires using five Likert scales (always, often, sometimes, rarely, never). The research was conducted in a private kindergarten in Central Jakarta with a research subject of one hundred and nine students. The results of the research obtained are that there is a relationship between the method of reading storybooks to early childhood literacy skills. The longer the duration of reading stories to children, the higher their literacy skills. Therefore, the method of reading storybooks should be done with a longer duration and frequently, so that children's literacy skills can be maximized.<em></em></p></div>

Motor development: A precursor to support Grade R literacy learning – Lessons from BuddingQ

Background: In South Africa, low literacy rates among children, particularly in early grades, present a critical challenge to the nation’s educational development. This study addresses the pressing issue of inadequate early childhood literacy education, aiming to bridge the gap between research and practice by advocating for effective interventions in the South African context.Objectives: The study seeks to understand the systemic challenges that hinder early literacy development in South Africa and to explore evidence-informed methods for improving literacy outcomes. By focusing on key elements of effective interventions, such as early initiation, evidence-based programme design, resource allocation, and monitoring and evaluation frameworks, this research aims to provide practical insights into reshaping literacy education in the country.Method: We conducted a qualitative case study of the BuddingQ intervention in Makhanda, South Africa, using interviews, observations, and content analysis.Results: The study revealed that prioritising early intervention, investing in evidence-informed programmes, proper resource allocation, and implementing robust monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are critical components of successful early literacy interventions. BuddingQ, by emphasising foundational skills development through play and movement, demonstrated a positive impact on children’s emergent literacy capabilities.Conclusion: South Africa needs transformative leadership and policy reforms for early childhood literacy. Evidence-based methods can promote educational equity, social justice, and improved literacy outcomes.Contribution: This study provides insights into effective early literacy interventions in South Africa, offering practical recommendations for policymakers, educators, and researchers to reshape literacy education and foster progress.

"When one has no REAL illness"-analysis of the knowledge component of mental health literacy in children and adolescents of parents with a mental illness.

Mental Health Literacy (MHL) is important in promoting youth mental health. One key aspect of MHL is knowledge about mental disorders, which is particularly relevant for populations at risk for developing mental disorders, such as children of parents with a mental illness (COPMI), representing a mechanism within the transgenerational transmission. Currently, COPMI's level of disorder knowledge in general, and about the specific parental disorder has not been comprehensively researched. We, therefore, aimed to assess COPMI's disorder knowledge and clarify its association with COPMI's age and sex exploratively. To assess both general and disorder-specific knowledge, we took a novel approach that makes disorder knowledge comparable across samples and over time. A mixed method analysis of N = 181 semi-structured MHL interviews with COPMI (aged 5 to 17 years) was carried out in the COMPARE-family study in Germany. We conducted a DSM-oriented deductive qualitative content analysis to assess COPMI's general and specific disorder knowledge. Chi-square tests served to identify age and sex differences. Children revealed limited knowledge of mental disorders in general, whereas adolescents displayed more knowledge that was also partly consistent with descriptions of classification systems like the DSM-5. The level of specific knowledge about the parent's disorder depended on the disorder group. More children displayed adequate knowledge of somatic and anxiety disorders compared to trauma and depressive disorders, and more adolescents displayed adequate knowledge of depressive and anxiety disorders. COPMI's age and sex were found to be significantly associated with disorder knowledge: adolescents exhibited higher levels of adequate general and specific disorder knowledge, and males exhibited higher levels of adequate general disorder knowledge. Assessing COPMI's disorder knowledge and identifying associated age and sex differences yield valuable insights into the knowledge component of the MHL theory. Our findings can help to improve psychoeducational interventions for COPMI by orienting them to their prevailing levels of disorder knowledge. We recommend employing and extending the DSM-oriented deductive approach to assess knowledge within MHL. Analyses involving additional assessments within the COMPARE-family study are in preparation to identify potential knowledge gains over time, and associations to COPMI's own well-being and mental health symptoms.

Tantangan dan Solusi Orang Tua dalam Membangun Kecakapan Literasi Anak Usia Dini

This research aims to identify and analyze various challenges and solutions for parents in building early childhood literacy skills. This research uses a literature study method obtained from various sources. The results of this study show that one of the challenges is that the lack of knowledge and understanding of literacy can be overcome by holding training or workshops for parents on how to support children's literacy by focusing on reading techniques, playing with words and introducing books from an early age. Another example is that time limitations and busyness can be overcome by creating a daily routine that involves short literacy activities such as reading together before bed or listening to audio stories by paying attention to the abilities of parents and early childhood skills.

Implementation of Sky Parenting in Educating Children to Increase Interest in Reading: A Case Study of A Muslim Family in Balai Baru Kuranji Padang West Sumatra

This study examines parental care's impact on implementing child prayer discipline. The discipline of prayer includes technical aspects of worship and a strong understanding and commitment to religious values. Through a qualitative approach, this study highlights the positive role of sky parenting in stimulating children's interest in reading through the introduction of religious reading materials and examples of parents who love spiritual literature. This research is located in Balai Baru Kuranji, Padang, West Sumatra. After collecting the data, the research analysis stage begins with data categorization and coding to identify emerging patterns and themes related to sky parenting practices and educate children to incrase interest in reading. Furthermore, this study uses a thematic analysis approach to explore the relationship between sky parenting practices and educating children to incrase interest in reading. Finally, the study compiles the findings into a coherent narrative and produces conclusions. The scope of this research includes several key aspects: (1) Identification of Sky Parenting strategies and techniques applied by the family in educating children, (2) Analysis of the impact of the application of Sky Parenting on children's interest in reading, (3) Factors that support and hinder the success of this method, and (4) The role of Islamic values in the implementation of Sky Parenting. The conclusion of this study reinforces that sky parenting, with a focus on spiritual education, can be an effective strategy in increasing children's interest in reading, opening opportunities for better religious literacy development in the future. The practical implications of this research can provide valuable guidance for educators, parents, and communities to strengthen children's literacy by applying sky-parenting principles.

The use of a computer-based program focused on the syllabic method to support early literacy in children with cochlear implants

BackgroundChildren with cochlear implants (CIs) often lag behind children with normal hearing (NH) in early literacy skills. Furthermore, the development of language skills associated with their emergent literacy skills seems to depend on good auditory access. Supporting language acquisition and early literacy in children with CIs may prevent difficulties in primary school. The use of technology may facilitate auditory and speech recovery in children with CIs, but evidence on computer-based early literacy programs is limited. ObjectiveThis study investigates (a) the effects of a computer-based program focusing on the syllabic method on the literacy skills of children with CIs (CIs group), comparing them with the literacy skills of a group of age-matched NH (normal hearing) peers (NHs group); (b) the associations between language and early literacy skills in the NHs group and between language, auditory and early literacy skills in the CIs group. MethodNine prelingually deaf children with CIs (M = 61.11, SD = 6.90) with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss and nine age-matched NH children participated in the program. Categories of Auditory Performance (CAP) as measures of children's auditory skills were collected. All participants were tested on phonological, morphosyntax (grammatical comprehension and repetition), and early literacy skills (syllable blending and segmentation, syllable and word reading) (T1). Next, all children participated in the computer-based program for 12 weeks. After the program was completed (T2), only early literacy tests were administered to the children. ResultsAlthough, on average, both groups obtained higher scores in all literacy tasks at T2, the CIs group scored lower than the NHs group. In the CIs group, at T2 we found significant improvements in syllable segmentation (p = 0.042) and word reading (p = 0.035). In the NHs group, at T2 we found significant improvements in syllable segmentation (p = 0.034), syllable blending (p = 0.022), syllable reading (p = 0.008), and word reading (p = 0.009). We also found significant associations in both groups between measures of morphosyntax at T1 and measures of early literacy at T2. In addition, for the CIs group, we found significant associations between children's auditory performance at T1 and measures of morphosyntax at T1 and early literacy at T2. Conclusiona computer-based program focused on the syllabic method could support children with CIs in acquiring emergent literacy abilities. The auditory performance of children with CIs seems to influence their morphosyntax and later early literacy skills.

Hebrew–Russian Bilingual Children's Early Literacy Skills: The Roles of the Home Literacy Environment and Mothers' Writing Support

AbstractToday, many children worldwide grow up in bilingual or multilingual families. This study explores early literacy development in Russian–Hebrew bilingual families in Israel. It studies the contribution of the home literacy environment (HLE), the language of communication, and the nature of the maternal writing support in Hebrew and Russian, to children's early literacy skills in the two languages. Participants were 61 Israeli children (4–6 years old) and their mothers. The mothers completed questionnaires about home literacy activities in both languages and were videotaped while supporting their child in writing a list of eight words in Hebrew and Russian. Children's early literacy skills (phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and word recognition) were assessed in both languages. Results showed that mothers adjusted their writing support not only to the child's skills but also to the particular orthography. The HLE and aspects of mothers' writing support predicted their children's early literacy skills, not only within each language but also in cross‐language models. The literacy activities provided at home and the nature of mothers' support seem to link to the children's literacy outcomes. The results stress the importance of parents' explicit efforts to support children's early literacy skills in both heritage and societal languages.

Reading for life-long health.

There is a strong, positive relationship between childhood literacy and physical and mental health outcomes in adulthood. Through primary care-based literacy interventions, pediatricians reach children and their families long before they enter traditional education venues. In so doing, pediatricians play a key role in children's school readiness and in turn health outcomes. The current state of childhood literacy in United States defines an increasingly urgent platform for the healthcare profession generally, and pediatricians specifically, to embrace. Through reviewing the existing literature on the impact of childhood literacy on physical, mental, and social-emotional health outcomes, we hope to highlight the need for increased collaboration between the education and medical fields to further promote the literacy interventions in pediatric healthcare settings.

Dream vacations of children: exploring key motivations and preferred experiences by drawing

ABSTRACT Children have an important place in the family travel market as they have a strong influence on holiday decisions and their satisfaction can directly affect their parents’ satisfaction and future behavioural intentions. To attract this market and provide child tourists with a satisfying holiday experience, it is important to better understand their motivations and preferences. The aim of this research is to identify children's motivations and preferred destinations and activities in family tourism context. In this qualitative study, where children's voices were taken into account by giving them the opportunity to express their dream family holiday experience ‘drawing’, one of the widely preferred child-friendly techniques to reveal children's perspectives, was used. A total of 103 literate children aged 6–17, residing in five different cities in four regions of Turkey, participated in the research. The data were analyzed using the visual content analysis technique in Maxqda software. The results show that children's family holiday motivations can be divided into four categories: family bonding, escaping and exploring new places, activities and play, rest and relaxation. Additionally, the activities that children seek in destinations include opportunities for group activities, activities related to nature, cultural experiences, and built environment experiences.

Psychometric properties of the knowledge and understanding questionnaire of the canadian assessment of physical literacy-2 in low-income brazilian children

This study aimed to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Physical Literacy Knowledge (PLK) questionnaire from Canadian Assessment of Physical Literacy-2 for Portuguese version, and to evaluate its psychometric properties (construct validation, content, composite reliability, measurement invariance) in low-income Brazilian children. The sample comprised of 562 children (247 girls), aged between 8.00 and 12.99 years-old (10.20±1.20 years), enrolled in the 12 public-school in Lagoa do Carro city, Pernambuco, Brazil. A translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the PLK questionnaire was carried out. Content validity was determined by calculating the content validity coefficient, which assesses the relevance, clarity and pertinence of total (CVCt) and each question individually (CVCi). The dimensional structure of the PLK and alternative models were considered with first and second order models. Internal consistency was assessed using composite reliability. Structural invariance (configural, metric, scalar and strict) between sexes was also assessed using a multigroup factor analysis. Content validity was considered acceptable, varying between 0.88 and 1.00 for CVCi, and 0.91, 0.94 and 0.99 for clarity, pertinence and relevance in the CVCt, respectively. Construct validity was considered adequate, with 3 dimensions and 9 items model being the most appropriate [χ²(df)=34.01(24); CFI=0.92; TLI=0.87; RMSEA=0.03; SRMR=0.04; 90%CIRMSEA=0.00-0.05]. The questionnaire was structurally invariant (all ΔCFI<0.05). Based on the findings, the PLK questionnaire has adequate psychometric properties to assess the cognitive domain of Physical Literacy in low-income Brazilian children. Key-words: Physical Literacy; Cognition; Children; Psychometry; Child Development.