Kindergarten Reading Research Articles

Reading Practices with Multilingual Children in Norwegian Kindergartens

One in five children in Norwegian kindergartens are multilingual, and reading practices that encourage the use of multilinguals’ entire linguistic repertoire can serve as important opportunities for language sharing, which is also encouraged by the Norwegian education authorities. In this study, we initially aimed to explore kindergarten reading practices involving languages other than Norwegian. When it became clear that such practices are rare, we expanded our investigation to include early childhood teachers’ experiences of reading with multilingual children more broadly. Our data sources consist of both self-reported data from a nationwide survey on reading practices in Norwegian kindergartens and six semi-structured focus group interviews with kindergarten staff. As reading in Norwegian kindergartens appears to occur in a space between kindergarten children’s right to meaningful experiences in different languages and their need to learn Norwegian, we shed light on what early childhood teachers highlight as central resources for reading with multilinguals. The key resources that emerge in the analyses encompass different forms of expression, hence multimodality is used as the overarching theoretical perspective in the study. Additionally, we discuss how good opportunities for promoting diverse reading practices become evident when kindergarten staff demonstrate curiosity, creativity, and a problem-solving approach to reading with multilinguals.

Intergenerational Effects on Children’s Reading Comprehension in Chinese: Evidence from a 3-Year Longitudinal Study

ABSTRACT Purpose We examined whether the relations between home literacy environment (HLE), children’s independent reading, and emergent literacy and reading skills are confounded by parents’ reading skills (a genetic proxy). Method One hundred eighty-nine Chinese children (M age = 74.26 months, 40% female) were followed from kindergarten to Grade 2 and were assessed on emergent literacy skills (pinyin knowledge, phonological awareness, and vocabulary) and word reading in kindergarten and on reading comprehension in Grade 2. Their parents (both mothers and fathers) were also assessed on reading (word reading and reading comprehension) and completed questionnaires on HLE (code-related activities, meaning-related activities, and access to literacy resources) in kindergarten and their children’s independent reading in Grade 2. Results Results of structural equation modeling showed that access to literacy resources was associated with children’s vocabulary, and code-related activities indirectly predicted reading comprehension through pinyin knowledge after controlling for parents’ reading skills. Parents’ reading skills indirectly predicted children’s reading comprehension through children’s independent reading. Conclusion Code-related activities and access to literacy resources may have a true effect on children’s reading development over and above the effect of parents’ reading skills as a proxy for genetic transmission. The children of parents with better reading skills may engage in more independent reading, which may be related to their better reading comprehension.

The Effect of Ecological Environment on Language-Minority Students’ Math and Reading Development: A Hierarchical Linear Analysis of a Longitudinal Study

ABSTRACT Research Findings: This study illustrated whether and how ecological environments are associated with language-minority students’ (N = 12,500) math and reading development from kindergarten to the eighth grade. Results identified the robust effects of preschool type, kindergarten length, classroom activities, parent-child reading, parent expectation, and teacher-child relationship on reading and math outcomes. In third and fifth grade, all significant predictors of reading outcome are at the family level: parent-child reading time and parent’s expectations. Additionally, parent-child reading time also significantly predicts LMSs’ reading in kindergarten. Meanwhile, predictors for math outcomes have a different pattern in the mid to late elementary periods. All predictors during this period are at the family level: parent-child reading time, parent showing love to children, and parent’s expectations. Lastly, the only significant predictor for eighth grade math is teacher-child closeness. Practice or Policy: The significant findings at different grade levels suggest a multifaceted approach to policy development, including (a) supporting parent engagement, (b) high-quality preschool, and (c) multicultural teacher education and professional development.

Analysis of Reading Behavior and Influencing Factors of Preschool Children in Rural China

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the reading behavior of preschool children in rural China and its influence by their family and socio-cultural environment. The study builds a theoretical framework based on theories of reading behavior research, and empirically analyzes the influencing factors using appropriate research design and data collection methods. The findings reveal that family background, such as parents' education level and family economic situation, has a significant influence on children's reading behavior; meanwhile, the social and cultural environment and kindergarten reading education also play an important role in promoting preschool children's interest in reading and the formation of reading habits. The conclusion provides empirical support for how to improve the reading behavior of rural preschool children, and is of reference value for the formulation and implementation of related policies.

Using Empirical Information to Prioritize Early Literacy Assessment and Instruction in Preschool and Kindergarten

Early literacy skill development predicts later reading success, and development of skills in specific domains during the preschool years has been established as both a prerequisite and precursory for reading. Early literacy assessments typically include measures of separate skills across domains, and results can assist with determining where instructions may be most needed. When multiple areas of need are identified, understanding which skills to prioritize can be a challenge. Therefore, empirically identifying the relative contribution of each skill measured in preschool to subsequent reading success can promote more efficient systems of assessment. This study, conducted in the United States, examined the predictive validity of early literacy skills measured in preschool compared to skills measured in kindergarten, with a specific practical focus on identifying the most efficient predictive model for understanding reading readiness. Participants were 119 preschoolers (mean age = 66 months) who mostly spoke English as their primary language (79%). Results indicated early literacy and language skills in preschool are highly predictive of early reading in kindergarten, accounting for 59% of the variance in a reading composite score. The most parsimonious model indicated that first sounds, letter sounds, early comprehension, and expressive vocabulary measures adequately explained 52% of the variance in children’s kindergarten reading performance.

Penguatan Kualitas Pendidikan Melalui Pendekatan Partisipatif Dalam Pengajaran Dan Pembelajaran Di Desa Rumah Gerat Kec. Sibiru-Biru

The Community Service Program (PKM) aims to improve the quality of education in Desa Rumah Gerat, Kecamatan Si Biru-Biru, through a participatory approach to teaching and learning. The participatory approach involves students, and the community as active participants in the learning process. The PKM program was conducted from February 3 to 29, 2024, using various learning methods that involve information technology. The results of the program showed an increase in reading and numeracy skills in Kindergarten (TK), Elementary School (SD), and Junior High School (SMP) students after the tutoring program. This program is expected to help students in Desa Rumah Gerat obtain better education and contribute to village development

Phonemic Awareness Strategies in Teaching Reading in Kindergarten

Phonemic Awareness is not as new to the field of literacy as some may think, although it is only in recent years that it has gained attention. For over 50 years, discussions have continued regarding the relationship between a child’s awareness of the sounds of spoken words and his or her ability to read. The research deals with the teacher’s effectiveness in using phonemic awareness strategies to teach kindergarten reading. The study used a questionnaire as the main instrument in gathering data; total enumeration and descriptive research were employed. The participants were 50 kindergarten teachers from La Trinidad, Benguet. The study showed the effect of strategies and utilization of the strategies along the variables. It can be said that teaching in kindergarten requires a strong ability of teachers to process the features of reading to accommodate the learner's different levels of phonemic awareness. However, many challenges will need to be addressed while they do this in the process.

Parental care and cognitive skill development in early childhood

ABSTRACT This paper looks at the relationship between child care choices and children’s cognitive skills at an early age. The care choices include parental care, center care, relative care and non-relative care. I use children’s motor and mental scores at 9 months as a baseline control for their innate ability and their reading and maths scores in kindergarten as outcome measures of cognitive development. My estimates show that non-parental care is related to better scores for children from less-educated households. Further analysis on some parenting activity and parenting style measures shows that reading to children more frequently and a healthy parenting approach have the potential to reduce the parental and non-parental care gap.

A Parallel Process Growth Curve Analysis of Teacher-Student Relationships and Academic Achievement

Teacher-student relationships (TSR) have been a key focus of study for developmental and educational psychology researchers interested in improving proximal and distal academic outcomes for children and youth. Although prior empirical work suggests some degree of association between TSR and achievement, the co-development of TSR and achievement during elementary grades remains unclear with most findings limited to reading and mathematics achievement. The current study used parallel process growth curve models (PPGCMs) to examine the longitudinal growth trajectories of teacher-student closeness and conflict, and science, reading, and mathematics achievement simultaneously for children followed from kindergarten to third grade in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010-2011 (N = 13,490). Findings from the final PPGCM showed teacher-student closeness in kindergarten was positively associated with science, reading and mathematics achievement in kindergarten (r = 0.234 to 0.277) and the linear growth of achievement through third grade (r = 0.068 to 0.156). Teacher-student conflict in kindergarten was negatively associated with science, reading, and mathematics achievement in kindergarten (r = −0.099 to −0.203) and the linear growth of achievement through third grade (r = −0.081 to −0.135). Child biological sex, family socioeconomic status, and child racial and ethnic identity predicted TSR and achievement developmental trends. Implications of the findings and future directions for research are discussed.

The Arabic Diglossia Reality: The Effect of Specific Story Reading in Kindergarten on Reading Acquisition in First Grade

ABSTRACT Due to the diglossic nature of the Arabic language, Arabic-speaking children enter their first year of school with immaturity in literary language and word representations in their mental lexicon. This study examined the effects of interactive story reading in kindergarten on future reading skills and whether this effect can be generalized to reading skills of infrequent words. 102 Arabic-speaking kindergarten children were divided into two groups: 1) the intervention group was based on a first-grade textbook; 2) the control group was based on classic stories from the kindergarten library. The program was implemented for three months during the kindergarten year. The findings show that the intervention group’s scores were higher than the control group in measures of represented/practiced and unfamiliar items. Additionally, the gain of the intervention group in reading unfamiliar items provide evidence for a generalization effect of the intervention program. We conclude that the negative impact of diglossia on reading acquisition in Arabic can be reduced during kindergarten.

Predicting variation in word decoding development in deaf and hard-of-hearing children

Background: Deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) children may experience difficulties in word decoding development. Aims: We aimed to compare and predict the incremental word decoding development in first grade in Dutch DHH and hearing children, as a function of kindergarten reading precursors. Methods and procedures: In this study, 25 DHH, and 41 hearing children participated. Kindergarten measures were phonological awareness (PA), letter knowledge (LK), rapid naming (RAN), and verbal short-term memory (VSTM). Word decoding (WD) was assessed at three consecutive time points (WD1, 2, 3) during reading instruction in first grade. Outcomes and results: The hearing children scored higher than the DHH children on PA and VSTM only, although the distribution of WD scores differed between the groups. At WD1, PA and RAN predicted WD efficiency in both groups; but PA was a stronger predictor for hearing children. At WD2, LK, RAN, and the autoregressor were predictors for both groups. While at WD3, only the autoregressor was a significant predictor. Conclusions and implications: WD development in DHH children on average shows similar levels as in hearing children, though within the DHH group more variation was observed. WD development in DHH children is not as much driven by PA; they may use other skills to compensate.

Home literacy environment and early reading skills in Japanese Hiragana and Kanji during the transition from kindergarten to primary school.

We examined the reciprocal associations between home literacy environment (HLE) and children's early reading skills in syllabic Hiragana and morphographic Kanji in a sample of Japanese parent-child dyads. Eighty-three children were followed from kindergarten to Grade 3 and tested on Hiragana reading accuracy in kindergarten, Hiragana word reading fluency in kindergarten and Grade 1, and Kanji reading accuracy in Grade 1 to Grade 3. Their parents answered a questionnaire about HLE [parent teaching (PT) in Hiragana and Kanji, shared book reading (SBR), and access to literacy resources (ALR)], parents' needs for early literacy support by teachers, parents' expectations for children's reading skills, parents' worry about children's homework, and mother's education level. Results showed first that ALR, but not PT and SBR, was associated with reading skills in Hiragana and Kanji. Second, whereas Hiragana reading in kindergarten was not associated with PT in Hiragana in kindergarten, it negatively predicted PT in Hiragana in Grade 1. However, Kanji reading accuracy was not associated with PT in Kanji across Grades 1 to 3. Third, parents' worry was negatively associated with children's reading performance across Grades 1 to 3 but positively associated with PT in Hiragana and Kanji. Finally, while parents' expectations were positively associated with children's reading performance across Grades 1 to 3, they were negatively associated with PT in Hiragana and Kanji in Grades 1 and 2. These results suggest that Japanese parents may be sensitive to both their children's reading performance and social expectations for school achievement and adjust their involvement accordingly during the transition period from kindergarten to early primary grades. ALR may be associated with early reading development in both Hiragana and Kanji.

Fostering Child Language with Short-Term Digital Storybook Interventions

Abstract: Research suggests that storybook reading fosters children’s language skills in the early years, with digital formats bearing new potential. This experimental pilot study with stratified randomization evaluates the effects of digital storybook reading in kindergarten on global language, vocabulary, verb learning (irregular past), and narrative skills. We assessed two reading methods: (a) dialogic reading and (b) supervised, independent screen-based story exposure. Twenty-seven children (aged 4 – 5 years) received a short-term small-group intervention (3 sessions) with a digital storybook on a tablet using one of the two methods with audio narration. Children in the dialogic reading condition made significant gains in receptive vocabulary, expressive target vocabulary, and verb learning. Postcontrasts further revealed a substantial advantage of dialogic reading for children’s narrative skills. Age-appropriate digital storybooks designed in line with insights from cognitive and developmental psychology may be used in early education to foster children’s language skills, if read dialogically.

Quality in children’s digital picture books: seven key strands for educational reflections for shared dialogue-based reading in early childhood settings

ABSTRACT The scope of digital children’s books is increasing rapidly; however, the quality of these books needs consideration in view of the educational context in which they are to be read. In this article, we present seven key strands to support early childhood teachers in selecting high quality for shared dialogue-based reading with groups of children. The purpose of the key strands is two-sided: first to provide a tool for assessing the aptness of a digital book for use in shared dialogue-based reading in an early education setting. Second, the purpose is to strengthen the educational competence of professional teachers. The key strands are based on 48 video-filmed reading sessions and educational reflections by participating early childhood teachers after each reading session. This research is part of the project books and apps: evaluating e-books for use in dialogue-based reading in kindergarten (VEBB). The seven key strands identified are 1) Theme, 2) Duration, 3) Verbal text and illustrations, 4) Play with language, 5) Conversation and dialogue, 6) Medium flexibility and 7) Interactivity. The first five strands are also relevant for educational reflections on print books.

Examining Shared Reading and White Matter Organization in Kindergarten in Relation to Subsequent Language and Reading Abilities: A Longitudinal Investigation.

Parent-child language interaction in early childhood carries long-term implications for children's language and reading development. Conversational interaction, in particular, has been linked to white matter organization of neural pathways critical for language and reading. However, shared book reading serves an important role for language interaction as it exposes children to sophisticated vocabulary and syntax. Despite this, it remains unclear whether shared reading also relates to white matter characteristics subserving language and reading development. If so, to what extent do these environmentally associated changes in white matter organization relate to subsequent reading outcomes? This longitudinal study examined shared reading and white matter organization in kindergarten in relation to subsequent language and reading outcomes among 77 typically developing children. Findings reveal positive associations between the number of hours children are read to weekly (shared reading time) and the fractional anisotropy of the left arcuate fasciculus, as well as left lateralization of the superior longitudinal fasciculus (SLF). Furthermore, left lateralization of the SLF in these kindergarteners is associated with subsequent reading abilities in second grade. Mediation analyses reveal that left lateralization of the SLF fully mediates the relationship between shared reading time and second-grade reading abilities. Results are significant when controlling for age and socioeconomic status. This is the first evidence demonstrating how white matter structure, in relation to shared reading in kindergarten, is associated with school-age reading outcomes. Results illuminate shared reading as a key proxy for the home language and literacy environment and further our understanding of how language interaction may support neurocognitive development.

A Comparison of Reading Screeners in Kindergarten: The Texas Primary Reading Inventory and Acadience Reading With English Learners and Monolingual English Speakers

Measuring and identifying risk for reading difficulties at the kindergarten level is necessary for providing intervention as early as possible. The purpose of this study was to examine concurrent validity evidence of two kindergarten reading screeners, Acadience Reading and Texas Primary Reading Inventory (TPRI), as well as diagnostic accuracy at different performance levels on the Woodcock-Johnson IV (WJ IV) Reading Cluster and across ( N = 96) emergent bilingual and monolingual English learners in kindergarten. Findings indicated moderate correlations between Acadience Reading and TPRI with the WJ IV. Diagnostic accuracy results showed screening measures were inadequate when predicting WJ IV performance above 90 SS (standard score), but results improved for almost all measures and student groups when the threshold for performance was lowered to 80 SS. Acadience Reading Below Benchmark (AR BB) offered the lowest overall accuracy for emerging bilingual (EB) students. Implications for efficient and accurate use of reading screeners in schools are discussed.

Bringing Assessment-to-Instruction (A2i) Technology to Scale: Exploring the Process from Development to Implementation.

Bringing effective, research-based literacy interventions into the classroom is challenging, especially given the cultural and linguistic diversity of today's classrooms. We examined the promise of Assessment-to-Instruction (A2i) technology redesigned to be used at scale to support teachers' implementation of the individualized student instruction (ISI) intervention from kindergarten through third grade. In seven randomized controlled trials, A2i and ISI have demonstrated efficacy. However, the research version of A2i was not scalable. In order to bring A2i to scale in schools serving linguistically diverse students, we carried out the current study across two phases. This study represents both an exploration of what it takes to bring an educational intervention to scale (Phase 1) and a quasi-experiment on the literacy outcomes of learners whose teachers used the technology (Phase 2). We integrated assessments of vocabulary, word decoding, and reading comprehension; revised the A2i algorithms to account for the constellation of skills English learners (ELs) bring to the classroom; updated the user interfaces and added new graphic features; and improved bandwidth and stability of the technology. Findings were mixed, including several non-significant results, a marginally significant intent-to-treat effect on word reading in kindergarten and first grade for English monolingual students and ELs, and one significant interaction effect, which suggested ELs and students with less developed reading skills in second and third grade benefitted most from the intervention. With some caution, we conclude that A2i demonstrates potential to be used at scale and promise of effectiveness for improving code-focused skills for diverse learners.

Effectiveness of alternative methods of learning to read in kindergarten

The latest scientific reports encourage teachers and parents to try to learn to read with the youngest children. Analyzes of the achieved research results indicate the effectiveness of this type of undertaking. The presented report from the research is the result of a pedagogical experiment. The research material was preceded by the characteristics of individual concepts that were used in the project on the level of effectiveness of selected methods of learning to read. These include: the Doman Method and two different original methods: first one presented by Irena Majchrzak (based on the child's name) and the second by Bronisław Rocławski (learning to read and write using the phonetic-letter-color method). From the research carried out, conclusions were drawn that were addressed to teachers. They show that it is worth introducing reading instruction in kindergarten, because it gives a chance for educational success and, above all, it has a positive effect on all spheres of a child's development.

Longitudinal relations between behavioral engagement and academic achievement: The moderating roles of socio-economic status and early achievement

This study investigated developmental trajectories of observationally coded engagement across the early elementary years and whether these trajectories were associated with children's academic achievement. Furthermore, we evaluated if these relations varied as a function of children's family socio-economic status and early reading and math skills. Data were collected from 301 children who were studied from kindergarten (Mage = 65.74 months; 49% boys) to 2nd grade. Children's behavioral engagement was observed in kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade. Reading and math skills were assessed via standardized tests in kindergarten and 2nd grade. Growth mixture models identified two classes of behavioral engagement: most children (87.0%) displayed relatively high behavioral engagement in the fall of kindergarten and decreased significantly across time (referred to below as high-decreasing class), and other children (13.0%) exhibited moderate behavioral engagement in the fall of kindergarten that was stable across time (referred to below as moderate-stable class). After controlling for academic skills in kindergarten and demographic variables (i.e., child age, sex, ethnicity, and family socio-economic status), children in the high-decreasing class displayed higher reading skills, but not math skills, than children in the moderate-stable class. Additional analyses revealed that differences in reading skills between the two classes were present only for children from low socio-economic status families or for children low in kindergarten reading skills. The findings suggest that economically or academically at-risk students might benefit more than their peers from high behavioral engagement.

Sources of individual differences in early elementary school science achievement among multilingual and English monolingual children in the U.S.

Using the public use file of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten class of 2010–2011, this study is the first to examine the extent to which science achievement is distinct from math and reading in kindergarten, first, and second grade; and the utility of kindergarten language proficiency and executive functioning (EF) for predicting science achievement among multilingual (n = 1022) and English monolingual (n = 12,343) children at each grade level. The results demonstrate that science is separable from math and reading achievement, though highly correlated. The results also indicate that kindergarten language proficiency and EF support science achievement similarly across elementary school for both groups. These results coupled with large correlations among science, math, and reading achievement suggest that integrated instruction that takes advantage of domain interconnectedness may reduce redundancies and help children connect with science content.