Parental Reading Research Articles

Stimulation beliefs, parental reading involvement, and social inequalities in children's language development

Objective: This study investigates whether greater identification of mothers and fathers in different-sex couples with the stimulation dimension of intensive parenting promoted both parents' involvement in reading and benefited children's language development between ages 3 and 5 in the UK. In addition, we explore social class variations. Background: Our study tests the frequently assumed relationship of parenting beliefs about stimulation with language development, and contributes to our understanding of parenting practices and their implications for child development. Method: We draw on a large representative sample of young children from the UK Millennium Cohort Study (N = 8,071) and apply path analyses in the framework of structural equation models. Results: For mothers and fathers, stimulation beliefs partially mediated the relation between parental education and reading frequency. Mothers' and fathers' stimulation beliefs had positive effects on children’s language abilities, but their impact was small compared to the direct associations with parental education. Conclusion: While parental education emerges as a key determinant of children's language development, our study reveals the nuanced role of beliefs about stimulation within intensive parenting, prompting further investigation into the multifaceted nature of parental involvement.

Parental Involvement in Reading Among Grade 1 Learners

Parental involvement in reading is crucial for learners. Active engagement helps develop early reading skills, boost self-esteem, and improve parent-child relationships that may grow their children's reading experiences by having frequent storytelling sessions, having book discussions, and setting up a family that values literacy. This study determined the nature of parental involvement in reading among Grade 1 learners in the three identified public elementary schools in Cebu, Philippines. The instruments used in the study included a researcher-made questionnaire administered to 174 parents. Quantitative data from the questionnaire were analyzed using statistical measures such as frequency, simple percentage, weighted mean, and the Chi-square test of independence. It was concluded that although parents were somewhat involved, parents were more active in learning at home. The parental involvement was often modest. The same empirical findings showed no correlation between the respondents' diversified profiles and parental reading engagement with Grade 1 learners. Aware of the results, the researchers politely suggested using the action plans explicitly created to help parents involve their children in reading.

Parental linguistic support in a home environment is associated with language development of preschool-aged children.

In today's increasingly digitalised society, there is a growing need for information on how parents can support their children's language development at home. We investigated the associations between three types of parental linguistic support and children's language skills in different domains. Between April 2019 and March 2020, 164 children aged between 2.5 and 4.1 years and their parents were recruited via daycare centres in Helsinki. Information on how frequently parents read, told free stories and sang to their children was collected. The children's lexical and grammatical skills and general language ability were assessed using validated instruments. More frequent reading, storytelling and singing were all separately associated with higher-level expressive lexical and general expressive language ability. More frequent reading and storytelling were also associated with higher-level phonological skills. Only reading was associated with receptive skills. The regression analyses revealed that reading had the highest explanatory value for lexical and general language ability after controlling for the effect of background factors. Furthermore, storytelling had the highest explanatory value for grammatical skills. The results highlight the benefits of parental reading. However, broad use of all parental linguistic activities is recommended to support the development of children's different language domains.

Effect of demographic factors on reading habits: Study on Indonesian secondary school students

This study explored the relationship between demographic variables and reading habits among Indonesian secondary school students, focusing on gender, age, current school, school type (public or private) and level. 451 students from six schools participated in the study. We used an explanatory sequential design, a mixed-methods approach. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey based on the reading habits scale by the National Library of Indonesia and included demographic questions. Qualitative data were then collected through an in-depth follow-up survey. An independent sample t-test and one-way ANOVA analyzed the influence of gender, age, current school, school type and school level on reading habits. Thematic analysis analyzed the qualitative data from the survey. The quantitative data indicated that students possessed low reading habit levels. Among the demographic variables, school location, public or private and level influenced the reading habit score, while gender and age had no influence. The qualitative findings highlighted the need for reading motivation, parent reading attitude and school library improvement to enhance reading habits. This study highlights practices that could shape reading habits, especially in secondary and upper secondary school students.

Causal effect of parental reading on later development of children: Demonstrating a Bayesian approach.

This study examined the relationship between early parental treatment, specifically reading to young children and later cognitive development with a Bayesian perspective. Previous research established a positive link between parental reading to infants and their cognitive development, such as receptive vocabulary, reading comprehension and motivation to read. Using data from the Millennium Cohort Study, this study analysed individuals aged 9 months to 14 years to investigate the effects of early reading to young children on nine cognitive variables. Bayesian statistical analysis controlled for pre-existing differences and covariates to establish a causal association between reading and cognitive development. The results indicated that reading to infants and toddlers positively impacted their cognitive development beyond reading skills. These findings demonstrate the usefulness of the Bayesian approach in determining scientific significance and underscore the importance of early literacy interventions in promoting cognitive development.

A k-mer-based bulked segregant analysis approach to map seed traits in unphased heterozygous potato genomes.

High-throughput sequencing-based methods for bulked segregant analysis (BSA) allow for the rapid identification of genetic markers associated with traits of interest. BSA studies have successfully identified qualitative (binary) and quantitative trait loci (QTLs) using QTL mapping. However, most require population structures that fit the models available and a reference genome. Instead, high-throughput short-read sequencing can be combined with BSA of k-mers (BSA-k-mer) to map traits that appear refractory to standard approaches. This method can be applied to any organism and is particularly useful for species with genomes diverged from the closest sequenced genome. It is also instrumental when dealing with highly heterozygous and potentially polyploid genomes without phased haplotype assemblies and for which a single haplotype can control a trait. Finally, it is flexible in terms of population structure. Here, we apply the BSA-k-mer method for the rapid identification of candidate regions related to seed spot and seed size in diploid potato. Using a mixture of F1 and F2 individuals from a cross between 2 highly heterozygous parents, candidate sequences were identified for each trait using the BSA-k-mer approach. Using parental reads, we were able to determine the parental origin of the loci. Finally, we mapped the identified k-mers to a closely related potato genome to validate the method and determine the genomic loci underlying these sequences. The location identified for the seed spot matches with previously identified loci associated with pigmentation in potato. The loci associated with seed size are novel. Both loci are relevant in future breeding toward true seeds in potato.

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PARENTS’ LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND PUPILS’ ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE; IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS IN IPALLISA DSTRICT, UGANDA.

Background: This study sought to investigate the relationship between parents’ level of education and pupils’ academic performance in primary schools. Methodology: A mixed-method research approach was used in this study to generate data. Using questionnaire and interview guide tools, data was collected from the study respondents including pupils, teachers, head teachers, parents as well and the Area Education Officer. Results: Findings revealed that parents’ level of education influences pupils’ academic performance. Tool items such as parents checking books and home works (M=1.70, SD=1.042), parents assisting in doing homework (M=2.43, SD=1.355), parents reading and replying to letters from schools (M=2.01, SD=1.131) and pupils having enough time at home to study (M=1.97, SD=1.050), were found to be among major factors that determine pupils’ performance. Conclusion: Parental level of education was statistically significant towards pupils’ academic performance in Palisa District. The educational attainment of their children in both rural and national samples was easily influenced by their conducive home study environment. Recommendation: Parents are advised to pay full attention to their children’s education at home. They should make a timetable for their children regarding homework and studies. In this way, their academic performance will be improved.

Psychometric properties of parent reading belief inventory with a sample of Indonesian mothers

<span lang="EN-US">The beliefs that parent currently have are increasingly attracting attention regarding the implementation of literacy for their children at home, was measured using parent reading belief inventory (PRBI) measuring tool developed by DeBaryshe and Binder. PRBI has not been adapted in Indonesia, making collaborative research difficult. Respondents in this study were mothers who had children aged 3-6 years old totally 177 respondents. Sampling technique with quota sampling. This research aims to develop a reliable and valid version of PRBI in Indonesia using International Test Commission guidelines. Data analysis using the second-order confirmatory factor analysis. The results showed that PRBI instrument was a valid and reliable instrument to measure the beliefs of parents in carrying out reading aloud activities with their children in Indonesia. Future research is expected to improve PRBI construct empirically based on the culture in each region, so that it can identify types of parents’ reading beliefs that implication children’s reading abilities.</span>

Role of Family Risk and of Pre-Reading Auditory and Neurostructural Measures in Predicting Reading Outcome

Abstract Some children who develop dyslexia show pre-reading auditory and speech processing difficulties. Furthermore, left auditory cortex structure might be related to family risk for dyslexia rather than to reading outcome. However, it remains unclear to what extent auditory and speech processing and auditory cortex structure mediate the relationship between family risk and reading. In the current longitudinal study, we investigated the role of family risk (measured using parental reading questionnaires) and of pre-reading auditory measures in predicting third grade word reading. We measured auditory and speech processing in 162 pre-readers varying in family risk. In 129 of them, we also acquired structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We quantified surface area and duplication patterns of the bilateral transverse temporal gyri (TTG(s)), and surface area of the bilateral planum temporale (PT). We found effects of pre-reading auditory and speech processing, surface area of the left first TTG and of bilateral PT and of left TTG duplication pattern on later reading. Higher pre-reading values on these measures were predictive of better word reading. Although we also found some evidence for an effect of family risk on auditory and speech processing, these latter measures did not mediate the strong relationship between family risk and later reading. Our study shows the importance of pre-reading auditory and speech processing and of auditory cortex anatomy for later reading. A better understanding of such interrelations during reading development will facilitate early diagnosis and intervention, which can be especially important given the continuity of family risk in the general population.

Home Literacy Environment and Literacy Development of Appalachian Preschool Children with Disabilities

A variety of systemic inequities place young children from Appalachian communities in the United States at greater risk for poor academic outcomes than children in other parts of the country. Young children with disabilities are at increased risk for poor academic outcomes because of similar inequities and their need for more intensive learning opportunities. The purpose of this study was to examine associations between early literacy skills and home literacy environment of Appalachian preschool children with disabilities. We completed an online literacy screening tool with 57 children between 3 and 6 years of age who had an Individualized Education Program. Parents completed a questionnaire measuring home literacy environment (parenting beliefs and practices). Children’s scores on the screening tool were not associated with parent reading beliefs but were associated with modeling writing and communication. Neither parent beliefs nor practices were predictive of children’s literacy screening scores. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Intergenerational longitudinal associations between parental reading/musical traits, infants' auditory processing, and later phonological awareness skills.

The intergenerational transmission of language/reading skills has been demonstrated by evidence reporting that parental literacy abilities contribute to the prediction of their offspring's language and reading skills. According to the "Intergenerational Multiple Deficit Model," literacy abilities of both parents are viewed as indicators of offspring's liability for literacy difficulties, since parents provide offspring with genetic and environmental endowment. Recently, studies focusing on the heritability of musical traits reached similar conclusions. The "Musical Abilities, Pleiotropy, Language, and Environment (MAPLE)" framework proposed that language/reading and musical traits share a common genetic architecture, and such shared components have an influence on the heritable neural underpinnings of basic-level skills underlying musical and language traits. Here, we investigate the intergenerational transmission of parental musical and language-related (reading) abilities on their offspring's neural response to a basic auditory stimulation (neural intermediate phenotype) and later phonological awareness skills, including in this complex association pattern the mediating effect of home environment. One-hundred and seventy-six families were involved in this study. Through self-report questionnaires we assessed parental reading abilities and musicality, as well as home literacy and musical environment. Offspring were involved in a longitudinal study: auditory processing was measured at 6 months of age by means of a Rapid Auditory Processing electrophysiological paradigm, and phonological awareness was assessed behaviorally at 5 years of age. Results reveal significant correlations between parents' reading skills and musical traits. Intergenerational associations were investigated through mediation analyses using structural equation modeling. For reading traits, the results revealed that paternal reading was indirectly associated with children's phonological awareness skills via their electrophysiological MisMatch Response at 6 months, while maternal reading was directly associated with children's phonological awareness. For musical traits, we found again that paternal musicality, rather than maternal characteristics, was associated with children's phonological phenotypes: in this case, the association was mediated by musical environment. These results provide some insight about the intergenerational pathways linking parental reading and musical traits, neural underpinnings of infants' auditory processing and later phonological awareness skills. Besides shedding light on possible intergenerational transmission mechanisms, this study may open up new perspectives for early intervention based on environmental enrichment.

Parental influences on the development of single and co-occurring difficulties in reading and arithmetic fluency

This study investigated how single and co-occurring difficulties in reading and arithmetic fluency developed among Finnish children across Grades 1–9 (N = 2151). Latent profile analysis among 391 children who had reading and/or arithmetic fluency difficulties in Grade 9 revealed profiles that followed three distinct patterns: reading difficulties (N = 121), mathematical difficulties (N = 94), and comorbid difficulties (N = 176). The profiles and typical performers were compared on parental reading and mathematical difficulties, parental education, the early home learning environment, and parental assistance with school homework across Grades 1–9. Results showed that although parents whose children had difficulties provided them with domain-specific support across all grades, the amount of support gradually declined and the performance gap between the profiles increased.

Relationship between Parental Literacy Beliefs and Home Literacy Environment

Parental literacy beliefs and home environment play an important role in stimulating children's literacy development. Parents who believe that children’s literacy development is highly dependent on them will be more likely to spend more time to create an atmosphere of literacy with their children. The main purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between parental literacy beliefs and home literacy environment. This study was conducted in Sungai Pelek, Selangor. Findings of this quantitative methods strategy study were based on data collected from 240 parents of KEMAS preschool children aged between five and six years. Data was collected with the aid of electronic questionnaire via Google Form. The Parental Reading Belief Inventory (PRBI) was used to measure parental literacy beliefs and the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment (HOME) was used to measure the home literacy environment. The results showed that the parental 's literacy beliefs have a significant relationship with the home literacy environment. It showed weak correlation between parental literacy beliefs and home literacy environment. In conclusion, the literacy environment at home is not highly dependent on parents’ belief in the important of literacy. It is recommended for future research can be expanded in various states in Malaysia with a larger sample size to increase generalization and produce more reliable data. Furthermore, it is recommended for future research to take into account of the predictive factors in children literacy development research.

Teaching of Reading in the Midst of Uncertainties: The Narrative of Elementary School Teachers in Digos City

This descriptive-phenomenological study divulged the context of teaching reading during the health crisis brought by COVID-19 among elementary pupils. This study involved ten (10) informants which, composed of one (1) full- time faculty of Rizal Central Elementary School (RCES), two (2) teaching the English subjects, and three (3) employed in the institution since the beginning of the pandemic. Through purposive sampling, ten (10) teachers qualified from the inclusion criteria set were approached to request their voluntary involvement as participants through focus-group interviews. Hence, Colaizzi’s Data Analysis Approach was also employed in this study. Results indicated that Elementary teachers have a variety of experiences in teaching reading to their students with some difficulties and challenges but still have a positive outlook on the students. The study’s results also revealed that the teacher cope up with those challenges by having constant follow-ups with their parents reading progress. The different pedagogical techniques in promoting students’ reading were evident. However, the appropriate pedagogical techniques in teaching reading to students should be considered at all times. Hence, the result of the study also revealed that teachers use PHIL IRI to categorize the students reading progress.

Readability of Individuals With Disabilities Education Act Part B Procedural Safeguards Notices Written in Spanish.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the readability of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B procedural safeguard notices written in Spanish, as distributed by each of the 50 states in the United States and the District of Columbia. Results were compared with the 6th-8th grade document readability guideline recommended by experts in health communication. A commercially available readability software program was used to assess document readability using three readability indices: the Gilliam-Peña-Mountain Graph, SOL, and the Fry Readability Adaptation for Spanish Evaluation. All procedural safeguard notices were written at a reading grade level greater than established guidelines. This finding agrees with research that has examined the readability of English-language versions of IDEA Part B procedural safeguard notices. Literacy-related skills and demands may influence the ability of the parent to advocate on behalf of his or her child with a disability within the school setting. Educators and specialists should be sensitive to parent reading preferences and proficiency when reviewing IDEA procedural safeguards notices. Authors of procedural safeguard notices should account for the native language and culture of the intended reader as revisions to, and translations are made of, IDEA procedural safeguards notices.

Intergenerational Transmission of Dyslexia: How do Different Identification Methods of Parental Difficulties Influence the Conclusions Regarding Children's Risk for Dyslexia?

AbstractBy investigating children whose parents have dyslexia, family risk (FR) studies are expanding our understanding of the intergenerational transmission of dyslexia. These studies, however, vary in their identification of FR, and how the use of different identification methods influences research findings and conclusions is yet to be systematically investigated. This study aims to evaluate the association between two FR identification methods—parental self‐reports and direct skill assessments—and their unique contributions in the prediction of children's reading. The study employed two datasets: a prospective FR sample (half of the parents in the sample had dyslexia and the remaining half did not) and an unselected sample. Parental self‐reports and direct skill assessments correlated strongly (.60) in the prospective FR sample and moderately (.42) in the unselected sample. Moreover, both FR identification methods were almost equally predictive of children's reading (explaining 5%–9% of the variance at different time points) in the prospective FR sample only. In the prediction of the children's skills, the two methods complemented each other only for some of the measures. At the same time, in the unselected sample, parental skills were not predictive of children's reading, whereas self‐reports were. The two FR identification methods seem to have equally high predictive power when the variability in parental data is high. However, they lose their predictive power when either the lower or higher end of the parental reading distribution is underrepresented.

Investigation of the Reading Motivations of Preschool Children: A Multiple Regression Study

The study primarily aimed to examine how the reading beliefs and home literacy environments predict the child’s early reading motivation. The sub-objective of this study was determined as to whether this prediction differed according to the educational level of the mother, the time the child allocated for reading in a day, and the time the child read during the day. In the first stage stratified sampling was used and, in the second stage, the purposive sampling method was used. The sample group of the study consisted of 556 parents who had children between the age of 36-72 months and whose children enrolled preschool education. Personal Information Form, Parent Reading Belief Scale, Home Literacy Environment Scale, and Perceived Motivation Scale for Reading Picture Story Books for Children were used as data collection tools. The obtained data were analyzed by using the multiple regression analysis methods. According to the results, it was seen that the parent reading belief and home literacy environment predicted the child’s reading motivation. Also, this prediction differed according to the education of the mother, the time the child allocated for reading in a day, and the time the child read during the day. The results obtained have the potential to guide preschool parents, teachers, and field experts.

Understanding differences in children’s reading ability by social origin and gender: The role of parental reading and pre- and primary school exposure in Ireland

Given growing concerns about disadvantaged boys’ achievement and disengagement from learning, this paper investigates differences in reading ability by gender and social origin. It uses data from the Growing Up in Ireland study to investigate how parents’ approach to learning at home and children’s exposure to early care and education contribute to these differences. We find that both children’s gender and their family’s social class influence their cognitive development between age 3 and age 9, though the effects are additive, with little variation in the gender gap across social class groups. Parents from more advantaged social classes read more to their 3-year-old children than other parents, yet by age 5, when most children have started primary school, these class differences in parental reading are much lower. Parental reading, ECCE participation and length of primary school exposure were found to facilitate language development and partly explain differences in reading scores at age 9, although strong direct effects of social class remained, even accounting for vocabulary score at age 3. The benefits from parental reading, ECCE and exposure to school are broadly similar for boys and girls, though there is some evidence that boys benefit more than girls from longer exposure to school. • Both children’s gender and their family’s social class influence their cognitive development between age 3 and age 9. • Gender and social class act as additive effects, with little variation in the gender gap across social class groups. • Social class differences in parental reading to children are marked at age 3 but much lower at age 5, when most children in Ireland have started school. • Boys benefit more than girls from primary school exposure in Ireland.

Clinician Perceptions on Literacy Promotion in Pediatric Continuity Clinics.

Wedescribe LP perceptions of pediatric and internal medicine/pediatrics residents and faculty and determine the relationship between LP training and perceptions of LP. Reach Out and Read (ROR) is a widely implemented evidence-based literacy promotion (LP) intervention. Recent data have shown that there is variability in both LP training for pediatric residents and implementation of ROR. However, little is known about the perceptions regarding LP and the relationship with training. Faculty and residents at participating sites completed an anonymous online survey on LP perceptions and training. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and logistic regression modeling. A total of 473 faculty and 1216 residents at 42 pediatric training programs participated. Faculty versus resident status was a significant predictor of almost all perception questions. Most faculty (65.3%) and residents (44.3%) completely agreed that it is the job of pediatricians to assess and encourage reading (P < .0001). Most faculty (69.6%) and residents (51.5%) completely agreed that LP is as important as advice about car seats, bike helmets, and "back-to-sleep" (P < .0001). More faculty (65.8%) than residents (46.6%) completely agreed with the statement "discussing sharing books with children at health supervision visits can be an effective early intervention strategy" (P < .0001). More faculty (34%) compared to residents (18.2%) completely agreed they felt confident modeling reading for parents during the visit (P < .0001). Faculty status predicted most favorable LP perceptions, while continuity clinic training and learning in-clinic from others predicted some favorable LP perceptions.

What are parents reading about the sunscreen controversy?

The benefits of sunscreen use have been well-established. However, discussion of its risks remains on the internet. Given this point of controversy, a web search of 50 websites on children's sun safety was performed and indicated that the information online is variable and incomplete when informing parents on the benefits and risks of sunscreen use.