Print Awareness Research Articles

Implementation of the Shared Reading Programme for Children with Mild Intellectual Disability and Their Peers with Low Print Awareness

ABSTRACT This study aimed to determine the effects of the print-referencing Shared Reading Programme (SRP) on print awareness (PA), vocabulary and listening comprehension of children with mild intellectual disability (ID) and their peers with low print awareness (LPA). Multiple probe design across subjects was employed. Three children with mild ID and their fifteen classmates with LPA participated in the study. Results showed that print awareness, vocabulary and listening comprehension of all children had increased at the end of the implementation compared to baseline. To determine the social validity of the intervention, semi-structured interviews were held with children and their parents and teachers after the implementation. Results indicated that children had positive attitudes to the intervention and parents and teachers explained that children’s early literacy skills improved because of the intervention. Results of the study were discussed and considered along with other studies in the literature and suggestions for future studies were presented.

Early skills that predict English reading ability: A longitudinal study of bilingual children from 5 to 10 years

Despite substantial research, the contribution of oral language skills acquired in Spanish to Spanish–English bilingual children’s acquisition of English reading skill is unclear. The current study addressed this question with data on the oral language and pre-literacy skills of 101 Spanish–English bilingual learners at 5 years of age and their English word reading (i.e., decoding) and reading comprehension skills at 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 years. Separate multilevel models using English language, Spanish language, and pre-literacy skills as predictors of these outcomes identified English phonological awareness, Spanish phonological awareness, and concepts of print knowledge as positive predictors of word reading. A final model including all these significant predictors found only Spanish phonological awareness and concept of print to be significant predictors. Significant predictors of reading comprehension in separate models were English vocabulary, Spanish phonological awareness, and concepts about print. In the final model, only English vocabulary and Spanish phonological awareness predicted English reading comprehension. These findings provide evidence that phonological awareness is a language-general skill that supports reading across languages, consistent with the common underlying proficiency model of bilingual reading development. The finding that only English vocabulary predicts English reading comprehension suggests that vocabulary knowledge is not part of a common underlying proficiency but is language specific in its value to reading ability.

Exploration of latent early literacy profiles in German kindergarten children using a newly developed app

IntroductionThis study explores the effectiveness of the tablet-based EuLeApp© assessment tool in identifying distinct latent early literacy profiles among German kindergarten children aged between 4.0 and 7.0 years. Additionally, the study investigates how factors such as age, biological sex, and language impairment contribute to the manifestation and prevalence of these latent literacy profiles.MethodsUtilizing latent class analysis on a diverse sample of 285 children, we administered a prototype of the EuLeApp© assessment tool to measure early literacy skills (i.e., print awareness, concepts of print, word awareness, phonological awareness, alphabet knowledge, and narrative skills). The sample included children aged between 4.0 and 7.0 years from various demographic backgrounds. Analysis involved identifying distinct early literacy profiles based on the assessment results. We also examined the influence of age, biological sex, and language impairment on the manifestation and prevalence of these profiles.ResultsThe analysis revealed four stable and interpretable early literacy profiles: Exceptional Performers (17%), Typical Performers (41%), Marginal Performers (35%), and Subpar Performers (7%). These profiles were found to be shaped by the complex interplay of age, biological sex, and language impairment status among the children.DiscussionThese findings underscore the importance of employing person-centered methodologies to characterize early childhood literacy profiles, providing a framework for tailoring intervention programs to suit the unique characteristics and requirements of individual children.

Delving into Word and Print Awareness in 4-Year-Old Children

This research delves into the emergent literacy skills of preschool-aged children through a thorough examination using the Preschool Word and Print Awareness Examination (PWPA). A diverse sample of 45 typically developing children, aged between 3 years and 11 months to 5 years and 1 month, participated in the study. Rigorous screening criteria ensured a homogeneous and suitable sample for the emergent literacy enhancement program. The PWPA, aligned with Marie Clay's interactive literacy assessment paradigm, assessed children's word and print awareness through engaging exercises integrated into shared storybook reading routines. Results unveiled significant variability in individual and overall performance, providing nuanced insights into the developmental trajectories of emergent literacy skills. The study focused on two key components of the PWPA: Words in Print and Print Concepts, evaluated through carefully selected storybooks. Findings indicated challenges and strengths in children's ability to recognize written words and understand foundational print concepts, emphasizing the need for early intervention in addressing emerging literacy issues. The discussion highlighted potential applications of PWPA in literacy screening programs, individualized goal-setting, and intervention planning. This research contributes to the understanding of preschool children's emergent literacy skills, providing valuable insights for educators, speech-language pathologists, and researchers to foster proficient readers in early childhood.

Initial characterization of print awareness in unhoused children.

This study provides an initial understanding of print awareness, a foundational literacy skill, in a group of 12 unhoused children at two shelters in a large urban setting. Children ranged in age from 4;1 to 8;0, representing grades associated with learning to read (i.e., pre-kindergarten to second grade). Findings indicate that the majority of children in this sample were significantly delayed in their acquisition of print awareness skills. Caregivers were surveyed regarding their beliefs about supporting literacy development and what would be beneficial for helping them in this area. Responses indicated that almost all caregivers believed that some literacy development should occur outside of the school setting and that it would be helpful if they (the caregivers) were taught both what skills to teach and how to teach them.

Strengthening Early Childhood Literacy Through Storytelling Activities

Abstract. The early childhood literacy strengthening program through storytelling activities is aimed at supporting the basic fundamental quality of early childhood in Kindergarten. The object of this program is a Kindergarten of 'Aisyiyah Bustanul Athfal (ABA) Ngentak, Pringinan, Tirtorahayu, Galur, Kulon Progo. Preliminary observations indicate the need to improve the quality of fundamental literacy through structured and measured storytelling activities. Therefore, the community development team strengthened fundamental literacy through storytelling activities using Gagne's event instructional design to focus students on storytelling activities. Afterward, students will be brought to discuss the stories and followed up with developing activities in the form of structured individual and class projects. Pre-test and post-test are given before and after the implementation of the storytelling activities targeting the components of alphabet knowledge, print awareness, and students' socio-emotional skills. The result shows that this program succeeded in improving the socio-emotional skills of students. This program has also succeeded in increasing students' interest in the letters of the alphabet and the print words listed in the book.

The Role of Parents in Improving Early Childhood Literacy Skills

This study aims to determine the role of parents in the development of early childhood literacy at State Kindergarten Pembina Bantul. The study population was parents of students in class A.4 at State Kindergarten Pembina Bantul, totalling 18 people. The sample was taken using total sampling technique. The instrument used was a closed questionnaire. The data analysis technique used percentage descriptive statistics. The results showed that the percentage of the role of parents in the development of early literacy in children aged 4-5 years at State Kindergarten Pembina Bantul was 62.36% (less). The description of each parent's role in early literacy development, Phonological Awareness of 65.83% is in the good category, Vocabulary Skill of 65.18 is in the good category, Print Motivation of 58.07% is in the less category, Print Awareness of 70.83% is in the good category, Letter Knowledge of 56.25% is in the less category, and Narrative Skills of 55.00% is in the less category.

Overcoming the Challenge: Assessing Reading and Writing Literacy in Fourth-Grade Students

Purpose of the study: The research aims to assess fourth-grade students' reading and writing literacy. Understanding the literacy level in this age group is crucial for identifying areas requiring improvement and enhancing their skills. This study provides insights for educational enhancements.
 Methodology: The research utilized a quantitative descriptive research design involving 85 fourth-grade students as participants. Data collection methods included interviews, observations, and tests. The interactive data analysis model was applied, consisting of three essential stages: data reduction, data presentation, and concluding (verification).
 Main Findings: The findings from this study highlight a prevailing issue concerning the reading and writing literacy skills of students, indicating that the majority of students, over 55%, are categorized as having "Low" literacy skills, while 22.35% fall into the "Moderate" category. This concerning situation can impede the holistic development of students' abilities, necessitating prompt and effective intervention.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: This study is unique for its focus on evaluating the reading and writing literacy skills of fourth-grade students at Elementary School 2 Merauke. It provides valuable insights into literacy education challenges and opportunities within this context. Using an interactive data analysis model, the research comprehensively assesses the factors affecting students' literacy skills. The findings highlight the importance of addressing print awareness and vocabulary, fundamental aspects of early literacy development, and the need to enhance teaching methods, including practical media usage and using the immediate environment for improved learning.

An advanced modeling approach to examine factors affecting preschool children’s phonological and print awareness

An advanced modeling approach to examine factors affecting preschool children’s phonological and print awareness

The examination of the variables affecting the print awareness skills of six-year-old children attending kindergarten

This study aimed to investigate the relationships between child gender, maternal education, writing readiness skills, and print awareness skills. A total of three hundred and sixteen six-year-old children, comprising one hundred and eighty-three girls and one hundred and thirty-three boys, were assessed for their writing readiness skills and print awareness skills. Spearman correlation coefficients were calculated to examine the potential relationships among child gender, maternal education, writing readiness skills, and print awareness skills. Additionally, a regression analysis was conducted to assess the predictive strength of these variables on print awareness skills, with child gender and maternal education treated as dummy variables. The results of the regression analysis revealed that these three variables accounted for approximately nine percent of the variance in print awareness skills. The implications of these findings were discussed in terms of understanding the interconnectedness of child gender, maternal education, writing readiness skills, and print awareness skills in promoting emergent literacy development. These findings hold significance for practitioners as they aim to determine the predictive power of writing readiness skills and provide appropriate support for children in relation to these skills.

Effectiveness of Dialogical Reading Literacy Programs in Improving Language Skills and Literacy of Early Students

Literacy programs for early childhood students are currently not optimal in involving parents in supporting program implementation. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of the dialogical reading literacy program intervention on the development of language skills and literacy skills of early childhood students. The research method used in this study was a quasi-experimental method to test the effectiveness of a dialogical reading literacy program at home on language development and literacy in early childhood students. The 200 early childhood students participated in this study, and at the same time involved their parents. The duration of this study was one year so that the impact of this preschool-home partnership intervention could be seen more clearly. The instruments used in this study included a questionnaire to reveal students' reading habits with their families, language and literacy assessments, receptive and expressive vocabulary assessments, taxonomic ability assessments, print awareness assessments, and activity sheets for dialogic reading activities. Validity and reliability tests were carried out empirically. Data analysis in this study used a linear hierarchical model with two levels of random intercept. The research findings show that the dialogical reading literacy program has proven effective in improving students' reading skills and literacy. Overall improvement was seen in four aspects of students' language skills and literacy, namely skills of receptive vocabulary, skills of expressive vocabulary, skills of print awareness, and taxonomy skills. So, the intervention of dialogical reading literacy programs by involving parents in dialogic reading activities is very effective in language development and early childhood literacy. This happens because there is mutual trust, a positive relationship between mentors and students, clear and focused goals, and is balanced between stimulus and response. The implication of this research is that parents must be active in carrying out reading activities together with their children to support language and literacy development, so that they are better prepared when they enter a school age.

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

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.

Effectiveness of the Netherlands’ pyramid method in the Turkish context

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of the Netherlands’ Pyramid method adapted to the Turkish Pre-School Education Program on language and early literacy skills of 5-year-old children. For this purpose, the Pyramid method is first adapted to the Turkish Preschool Education Program by authors after studying the method in the Netherlands for about two months. Then a study was conducted in a private preschool in Ankara, Turkey with a total of 44 children. We collected the data using the ‘Turkish version of Test of Early Language and Development’ and ‘Early Literacy Skills Assessment Tool’. Data was then analyzed using Wilcoxon Signed Rank and Kruskal Wallis-H Tests. Results of the study show that the Pyramid method adapted to the Turkish Pre-School Education Program has positive effects on 5-year-old children's language skills and phonological awareness, print awareness, story comprehension, visual matching, and pre-writing skills. These findings are in agreement with similar studies of the Pyramid Method in different countries.

The emergent literacy skills of 4- to 5-year-old children with and without a history of late talking

Purpose To explore the emergent literacy skills of 4- to 5-year-old children with a history of late talking (H-LT) and a history of typical development (H-TD) by: (1) determining if the two groups differ on measures of emergent literacy, and (2) identifying the proportion in each group presenting with weak emergent literacy profiles. Method The emergent literacy skills of 4- to 5-year-old children with a H-LT (n = 13) and a H-TD (n = 11) were compared on measures of phonological awareness, print awareness (including print concepts and letter-sound knowledge), and narrative. Cut-off scores reflecting weak performance for each measure were determined. Children scoring below the cut-off on at least two measures were identified as having a weak emergent literacy profile. Result Group means indicated poorer emergent literacy performance in children with a H-LT compared to a H-TD, however, comparisons were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Proportionally, more children with a H-LT had a weak emergent literacy profile (8/13; 62%) compared to children with a H-TD (2/11; 18%). Conclusion Children with a H-LT may be more vulnerable for emergent literacy difficulties. By assessing multiple emergent literacy skills, individualised profiles for children can be determined and reported alongside between-group comparisons.

The oral language and emergent literacy skills of preschoolers: Early childhood teachers' self-reported role, knowledge and confidence.

Early childhood teachers (ECTs) play a significant role in equipping children with oral language and emergent literacy skills ahead of school entry. They are well positioned to play a vital role in ensuring preschool children receive a high-quality preschool curriculum to prepare them for later literacy learning. The purpose of this study was to explore early career ECTs' views and confidence regarding their role in providing preschoolers with oral language and emergent literacy support and to examine their perceptions of their preservice preparation. Nine Australian early career ECTs were recruited via purposive sampling for an in-depth, semi-structured interview. Data were analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach. Participants attached strong significance to their role in facilitating children's oral language growth and emergent literacy skills and reported a range of practices to support children's learning. However, they rarely referred to using established language facilitation strategies or using dialogic book reading prompts. Further, emergent literacy concepts such as phonological awareness and print awareness were not routinely described as features of participants' classroom activities. Participants did not consistently make a clear conceptual distinction between the constructs of oral language and emergent literacy and often used these terms interchangeably. Notably, participants indicated that they did not feel confident in their ability to identify preschool children who were not meeting developmental language milestones and reported that they felt poorly equipped to do so by their preservice training. ECTs' strong willingness to support preschool children's oral language and emergent literacy skills may be hindered by gaps in their knowledge; these may contribute to important and missed opportunities for identifying and supporting preschoolers' oral language and emergent literacy growth. What is already known on this subject? High-quality learning experiences in preschool are important for maximising preschoolers' oral language and emergent literacy growth. Early childhood teachers can play an important role in facilitating this development and preparing children for later literacy learning. What this paper adds to existing knowledge? The study findings provide insight into ECTs' perceptions of their role and support in developing children's oral language and emergent literacy skills. The results indicated ECTs did not feel confident with their knowledge of children's language milestones or identifying children with language difficulties. Participants reported that their preservice training left them underprepared in the area of oral language. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work? ECTs demonstrated a strong willingness to support preschoolers' oral language and emergent literacy skills. However, their self-reported knowledge gaps and low confidence may have implications for the early detection of children who are not reaching language developmental milestones in a timely way.

Peran Orang Tua Terhadap Kemampuan Literasi Dini Anak Di Desa Banturung Kecamatan Bukit Batu

This research aims to determine the role of parents in children's early literacy skills in Banturung Village, Bukit Batu District. The research method is a quantitative descriptive method. The research was conducted by distributing questionnaires to parents. The research procedures were determining the research subjects, making research instruments, validating instruments in the form of questionnaires, testing questionnaires, giving questionnaires, processing research data, and drawing research conclusions. Researchers present the results of research related to the role of parents in early literacy skills of children aged 5-6 years in Banturung Village, Bukit Batu District. Data obtained from the results of a questionnaire 30 respondents. The questionnaire consists of 24 statement items that include indicators of the role of parents on children's early literacy skills, namely Modelling, Mentoring, Organizing, Teaching with sub indicators namely Print Motivation, Phonological Awareness, Vocabulary, Narrative Skill, Print Awareness and Letter Knowledge. The Modelling shows a percentage of 66.38% which is included in the high criteria. The Mentoring shows a percentage of 76.38% which is included in the high criteria. The Organizing shows a percentage of 71.80% which is included in the high criteria. Teaching shows a percentage of 71.52% is included in the high criteria. Based on the results of the questionnaire research as a whole, it can be concluded that 72.22% stated that the role of parents in early literacy abilities of children aged 5-6 years was included in the high category

Development of a Self-Efficacy Scale for Supporting Early Literacy Skills

The aim of this study is to develop a measurement tool for self-efficacy perception to support early literacy skills. In the study, an item pool of 60 items was created by considering the relevant literature. The form was presented to the field experts who had studies in the relevant fields, and 5 items in the item pool of the scale were removed from the scale in line with the expert opinions. After taking expert opinions, the 60-item form was filled in by 493 pre-school teacher candidates at Sivas Cumhuriyet and Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa Universities. Before the analysis, extreme, deviating, missing or erroneous values were corrected. As a result of the corrections made, validity and reliability studies were carried out in line with the responses from 467 students. As a result of the exploratory factor analysis, it was determined that the scale consists of 40 items and 6 sub-dimensions. The form consisting of 40 items and 6 sub-dimensions explains 65.10% of the total variance. These dimensions are named as Visual Reading, Listening / Monitoring, Phonological Awareness, Print Awareness, Basic Writing Skills and Assessment of Progress in accordance with the literature. As a result of the confirmatory factor analysis, it was determined that the fit indices of the 6-factor structure were within acceptable limits. The Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient for the whole scale is 0.96, and the Cronbach alpha reliability coefficient for the sub-dimensions is between 0.84 and 0.91. As a result of these findings, it was revealed that the scale measures the self-efficacy perception to support early literacy skills in a valid and reliable way.

OKUL ÖNCESİ ÖĞRETMENLERİNİN ERKEN OKURYAZARLIK BİLEŞENLERİ HAKKINDA FARKINDALIKL

This research aims to reveal preschool teachers' awareness of early literacy skills in the process of developing early literacy components and to determine what in-class activity practices are in this context. This research features a qualitative study design. The questionnaire form of the correspondence technique, which is one of the qualitative data collection techniques, was used in the data collection process. The Early Literacy Components Awareness and Practice Identification Questionnaire Form, which was created by the researchers as a correspondence technique form, consists of two parts, which include the personal information of the participants and questions for the purpose of the study. In the first part of the form, the demographic information of the participants such as professional seniority, educational status, early literacy course and special education and inclusion courses in undergraduate or in-service training were included. In the second part, there were questionnaire questions to determine the thoughts of the participants about the concept of early literacy and early literacy components (early literacy, phonological awareness, print awareness, verbal language development, letter knowledge) and their practices in the book centers in their classrooms. With the data obtained, content analysis was conducted in line with the participants' views on early literacy, phonological awareness, print awareness, verbal language development, letter knowledge and book center practices in their classrooms. This research, which was carried out with 32 preschool teachers, was carried out on a voluntary basis. The data obtained according to the answers given by the participants were subjected to content analysis. With the obtained data, codes and categories were reached. As a result of the research, it was determined that although preschool teachers do not seem sufficient in terms of knowledge, they provide these skills to children by performing early literacy activities on a practical basis. The study also determined that the teachers did not have a good command of the components of early literacy and that they increased the quantity of the book center instead of increasing its quality. Based on the results of the study, it is important that teachers who receive pre-school education are equipped with both practice and knowledge starting from their undergraduate education, and it is recommended that teachers who do not take the relevant course in undergraduate programs should be informed about early literacy through in-service training. In addition, it is recommended that book centers that support early literacy skills should be provided with the necessary physical equipment for qualified pre-school education in classrooms

Efficacy of Berni: A software for preschoolers at risk of dyslexia

The signs of dyslexia can appear as early as preschool. Teachers need effective and efficient programmes to overcome the difficulties these children face, making use of the available resources. The purpose of this study was to design an educational software that would enable effective intervention to improve the early difficulties of children at risk of dyslexia, and that a preschool teacher could apply in the classroom in an inclusive manner. Hence, the software named Berni was designed as an early intervention measure to overcome difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory, alphabetic awareness, receptive language and print awareness. The sample included 43 preschoolers aged 4 and 5 years old from 7 schools in the Basque Country (Spain), who showed warning signs of dyslexia. To evaluate the software, half of the participants used the Berni software in their regular classroom and a pre-test/intervention/post-test design was used with a control group. The results showed that multimedia training with the Berni programme helped to overcome difficulties in the variables that better predict dyslexia: phonological awareness, rapid automatised naming and verbal memory. Furthermore, teachers and children consider the Berni software to be perceptible, operable and adequately developed. Teachers consider it to be appropriate to the curriculum, effective and conducive to learning. However, autonomous use, feedback and adaptation possibilities could be improved.

Contracts of Inattention

The standard paradigm of contracting assumes that parties will revise subsequent contracts if a court interpretation of a clause does not reflect their intent. This assumption, however, often does not match behavior—particularly, in boilerplate contracts. We examine the aftermath of an (in)famous 2016 case, Wilmington Savings Fund v. Cash America, to unpack possible reasons for this mismatch between theory and practice. We find evidence of a phenomenon in contracts that involves sophisticated parties who are nevertheless not represented by their own lawyers, lack full awareness of the fine print of the contractual terms, and, having devoted little attention to them, may be eclectic as to their meaning when they enter into these contracts. In these contracts, which we call contracts of inattention, a gap between lawyers’ understanding of a provision and the understanding of market participants is prone to emerge. The potential for such gaps has implications for how courts should interpret contracts of inattention and for how market participants will react to court rulings.