For Parents Particularly: More than Just Storybooks: Promoting Emergent Literacy Skills in the Home

Disadvantaged preschool children from rural areas: the importance of home practices and nursery attendance in the development of early literacy skills / Niños preescolares vulnerables de sectores rurales: importancia de las prácticas del hogar y la asistencia a jardín infantil en el desarrollo de habilidades de alfabetización temprana

“…La asociación entre las prácticas de enseñanza del hogar y el desarrollo de la alfabetización inicial ha sido ampliamente estudiada (ej., Bus et al , 1995; Hartas, 2011; Scarborough y Dobrich, 1994) y, aunque pareciera que las experiencias tempranas de alfabetización del hogar tienen efectos en el desarrollo de las habilidades lectoras y el desempeño posterior (Evans et al , 2000; Neumann y Neumann, 2009; Reese et al , 2000; Senechal, 2006), la forma y magnitud de estos efectos no es concluyente. Guevara et al (2010) señalan que las habilidades de alfabetización son potenciadas de tres maneras por el contexto familiar: (1) mediante las interacciones producidas en las experiencias entre niños y padres, hermanos y personas del entorno familiar; (2) los recursos disponibles en el hogar como materiales de lecto-escritura; y (3) las actividades motivacionales relacionadas con actitudes y habilidades posteriores de alfabetización de los niños.…”

“…Palabras clave: prácticas del hogar; alfabetización temprana; rural; preescolar The link between educational practices in the home and the development of initial literacy skills has been widely studied (e.g., Bus, Vanijzendoorn, & Pellegrini, 1995;Hartas, 2011;Scarborough & Dobrich, 1994) and, although it would seem that early literacy experiences in the home have an impact on the development of reading skills and subsequent performance (Evans, Shaw, & Bell, 2000;Neumann & Neumann, 2009;Reese, Garnier, Gallimore, & Goldenberg, 2000;Senechal, 2006), the exact nature and extent of this impact is not conclusive. Guevara, Rugerio, Delgado, Hermosillo, and López (2010) indicate that literacy skills are promoted in three different ways within the family context: (1) through interactions that occur in experiences between children and parents, siblings and other people within the family context; (2) the resources available within the home, such as reading and writing materials; and (3) motivational activities related to attitudes and to the child's subsequent literacy skills.…”

The effects of a parent–child environmental print program on emergent literacy

“…Providing meaningful ways to support the development of these emergent literacy skills in the years prior to formal schooling has immediate and long-term benefits to children’s future reading and writing ability (Neuman and Dickinson, 2006; Snow et al, 1998). Work of previous case studies (Baghban, 1984; Lass, 1982; Neumann and Neumann, 2009) was extended with a larger participant sample and showed how organised parent use of environmental print strategies can enhance children’s letter name and sound learning. Although speculative, such an approach may benefit parents who find story book reading activities difficult and who may feel more confident introducing early literacy concepts to their children using environmental print.…”

“…Weet-Bix) can also be used by adults to support children’s emergent literacy and interest in print (McGee and Richgels, 1989; Mason, 1980; Neumann et al, 2013a; Purcell-Gates, 1996). The salience of letters and words in environmental print provides opportunities for early literacy learning (Neumann et al, 2009; Neumann and Neumann, 2009). Furthermore, environmental print surrounds children daily in meaningful and personal ways (Goodman, 1986; Harste and Woodward, 1989).…”