Home Storybook Reading in Primary or Second Language With Preschool Children: Evidence of Equal Effectiveness for Second‐Language Vocabulary Acquisition

Abstract

This study examined how providing either primary‐ or English‐language storybooks for home reading followed by classroom storybook reading and vocabulary instruction in English influenced English vocabulary acquisition. Participants in the study were preschool children (N = 33), from low socioeconomic status families, whose primary language was either Hmong or Spanish. There were two 6‐week sessions of home combined with classroom storybook reading. Children were randomized to either a primary‐ or English‐language home storybook‐reading treatment in the first session. In the second session, children switched treatment and participated in home storybook reading with books written in the alternate language. Children learned a substantial number of words from the combined home and classroom storybook‐reading experiences. Home storybook reading in a primary language was at least as effective as home storybook reading in English for English vocabulary learning. Significant gains in vocabulary recognition were documented after home reading and again after classroom experiences in English. Family‐caregiver participation in the parent‐support part of the program rose from 50% to 80% between the two 6‐week sessions. Family caregivers' English oral‐language skills and the number of English‐language children's books in the home were related to English vocabulary learning. Discussion focuses on the viability of combining primary‐ or second‐language home storybook reading with second‐language classroom storybook reading as a means to enhance second‐language vocabulary learning. [Note: The author discusses the research presented in this article in a podcast presented by the “Voice of Literacy”: http://www.voiceofliteracy.org/posts/29090]. 这研究考查提供学童第一语言或英语故事书在家阅读，然后进行教室英语故事阅读和英语字汇学习指导这这样的阅读计划如何影响学童在英语字汇方面的习得。参与这研究有三十三名来自低收入户的学前儿童，他们的第一语言不是苗语就是西班牙语。这些学童接受两个为期六周在家与在教室故事阅读的结合课程。在第一个课程里，这些儿童被随机挑选分成两组：一组在家阅读第一语言故事书，另一组在家阅读英语故事书。这两组在第二个课程里对调用第一语言和用英语写成的故事书在家阅读。从结合了家中与教室的故事阅读经验中，学童学会了大量的生字。就学习英语字汇而言，学童在家阅读第一语言故事书与在家阅读英语故事书相比，成效相若。这些学童在家阅读后及在教室获得英语阅读经验后接受成绩考查；他们在字汇识别方面的结果均录得有明显的进步。在这两个为期六周的课程之间，参与家长支持这阅读计划的家庭照顾者，人数由百分之五十增加至百分八十。研究结果亦显示：家庭照顾者的英语口语能力及学童在家里拥有的英语儿童书本数量，与学童学习英语字汇有关。本文的讨论的焦点是在结合家中阅读第一或第二语言故事书及在教室阅读英语故事书的阅读经验，作为增强第二语言字汇学习方法的可行性。 [Podcast: http://www.voiceofliteracy.org/posts/29090]. Cette recherche a examiné comment une lecture d'albums, en langue maternelle ou en anglais, suivie en classe par une lecture d'albums et un enseignement du vocabulaire en anglais a un effet sur l'acquisition du vocabulaire en anglais. Les enfants ayant participé à cette étude étaient des enfants d'âge préscolaire (n = 33), de milieu social défavorisé, dont la langue maternelle était le Hmong ou l'espagnol. Il y a eu deux sessions de six semaines à la maison, combinée avec la lecture d'albums en classe. Lors de la première session, les enfants ont été répartis au hasard avec soit lecture en langue maternelle à la maison, soit lecture en anglais. A la seconde session, le traitement a été inversé: la lecture a été faite dans l'autre langue. L...

Examining Differential Effects of a Family Literacy Program on Language and Literacy Growth of English Language Learners With Varying Vocabularies

“…In a study of one such approach, Roberts (2008) examined the efficacy of a bilingual storybook reading intervention wherein parents (all of whom were ELLs, L1 was Spanish or Hmong, and of low SES) received brief training in read-aloud practices with a storybook in L1 or L2. Preschoolers were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups (TGs; L1 or L2 storybook) using a crossover design.…”

Facilitando el Proceso de Alfabetización Inicial desde el hogar: El versicuento como recurso literario para promover habilidades lingüísticas

“…Los resultados de estudios sobre efectos de factores ambientales en el proceso de alfabetización indican que en el contexto de la familia es relevante el rol facilitador del aporte de experiencias literarias en el hogar (Dickinson & Tabors, 2002;Porta & Difabio, 2011;Roberts, 2008).…”

“…Toda actividad que padres o cuidadores desarrollen en casa con los niños tendrá sin duda un efecto en sus experiencias de aprendizaje futuras, entre ellas las relativas a aprendizajes escolares tales como la lectura y la escritura. La lectura de cuentos y las interacciones verbales que acaecen en el hogar entre padres y/o cuidadores y los niños constituyen una excelente oportunidad para que estos aprendan habilidades básicas que necesitan para iniciarse en el proceso de alfabetización, entre ellas, habilidades de conciencia fonológica, enriquecimiento del vocabulario y comprensión lectora (Dickinson & Tabors, 2002;Porta & Difabio, 2011;Roberts, 2008).…”

“…En el mismo sentido, otras investigaciones evidencian que la lectura frecuente de cuentos por parte de docentes y padres a los niños a cargo -tanto en la escuela como en el hogar respec-tivamente-incrementa en forma significativa su nivel de vocabulario y de habilidades básicas de la lectura tales como la identificación de palabras escritas (Porta & Difabio, 2011;Roberts, 2008). Por ello uno de los objetivos que nos propusimos al diseñar e implementar un programa de estimulación lingüística para niños de nivel inicial fue sumar la participación activa de los padres o cuidadores.…”

Increasing Latino Parents’ Verbal Interactions with Their Preschool-Aged Children

“…Specifically, it has been shown that there is a positive impact of parental involvement in literacy in one's native language on school readiness and success. Roberts found that primary-language storybook reading in the home was as effective as home storybook reading in English for promoting English vocabulary acquisition in preschool students who are learning English; children who received storybooks in their primary language performed significantly better on English recognition of target storybook words than English language learning students who read books at home in English [18].…”