Preschoolers’ Emergent Literacy Predicts Attitudes Toward and
Perceptions of Reading
By: Kirsten T. Craft and Dr. Olivia K. Lima
Introductionhttp://00.edu-cdn.com/files/static/preschool-reading/12ways.jpg
Background
• Preschoolers do not come into the classroom as
blank slates
• In home exposure to learning does matter (Fernald,
Marchman & Weisleder, 2013)
• Lower emergent literacy skills (Bowman, Donovan & Burns,
2001)
• Long term negative impacts
• Explained by relationship between perceived ability
and engagement (Fantuzzo, Perry & McDermott, 2004)
• Preschool interventions cited as a solution (Logian, 2006)
• Motivation (Schweinie, 2011)
Objectives and Hypotheses
• Objectives
• How do attitudes relate to ability?
• How do preschoolers define reading?
• Hypotheses
• Positive attitudes would be associated with high
emergent literacy. Negative attitudes would be
associated with low emergent literacy.
• Preschoolers would rely on books and text to
define reading.
Methodhttp://www.njfamily.com/NJ-Family/June-2012/Summer-Reading-101/Preschooler-Reading-500.jpg
Participants
• Participants
• 14 Preschoolers
• Gender
• 9 Males
• 5 Females
• Age
• Mean 4.43 years
• Demographics
• Similar to Sioux Falls
Materials
• Materials
• Survey questions
and scales
• Artist illustrations
• The Get Ready to
Read Revised (Whitehurst & Lonigan, 2010)
• (M=18.3, SD=3.7)
Illustrated by Esther Rainbow
Reading vs. Not Reading
Illustrated by Esther Rainbow
The Get Ready to Read
(Whitehurst & Lonigan, 2010)
The Get Ready to Read
(Whitehurst & Lonigan, 2010)
Procedure
• Part One – Day One
• Shown illustrations and asked what they thought
the child was doing
• Open ended questions
• Likert scales used to assess attitudes
• Part Two – Day Two
• Get Ready to Read revised
• Both parts were introduced to children as games
Resultshttp://fortcollinsreadaloud.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/reading-to-child.jpg
Objective One• Objective
• How do attitudes relate to ability?
• Hypothesis
• Positive attitudes would be associated with high emergent literacy
and negative attitudes would be associated with low emergent
literacy.
• Results
• Negative attitudes (M=4) were associated with with high emergent
emergent literacy and more positive attitudes (M=4.43) were
associated with low emergent literacy.
• Preschoolers with high emergent literacy skills reported that they
knew less about reading (M= 3.14) than preschoolers with below
average emergent literacy skills (M=4.14).
• It did not reach significance (P=.21)
Graphic Visuals
How Much Do You Know How Much Do You Like
Above Average Below Average0
1
2
3
4
5
Series1
Above Average Below Average0
1
2
3
4
5
Series1
Objective Two• Objective
• How do preschoolers define reading
• Hypothesis
• Preschoolers would rely on books and text to define reading.
• Results
• More limited interpretation of reading than adult comparison
• Reliance on books
• Adults included more complex interpretations
Other Interesting Findings
• Do you know how to read?
• No clear relationship between emergent literacy and self reported
ability to read
• “Yeah because I am four”
• “No because I am too little”
• “Yeah because I learned it”
• Is learning how to read important?
• Preschoolers with high emergent literacy skills were more likely to
report intrinsic motivations towards reading.
• Intrinsic “Yeah it helps you learn”
• Extrinsic “Yeah so you can do it when your teacher tells you to”
• Uncertain “Yeah cause I do not know”
Discussionhttp://www.kinderpillar.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/preschoolers-reading.jpg
Explanation of Results• Objective One
• Preschoolers with high emergent literacy may have a more realistic
understanding of what reading is.
• Like it less
• Report knowing less
• Objective Two
• Preschoolers may not have had advanced exposure to literacy
• Other Findings
• Preschoolers may have different interpretations of what “knowing
how to read” is
• Preschoolers with high emergent literacy may have been taught
differently
Macro Level Application• Preschool Interventions
• No link between perceived ability and actual
ability
• Link between motivation type and actual ability
• Classroom changes
• Preschool is a good time
• Focus on motivational drives
Micro Level Application• At home
• Focus on showing preschoolers why reading is
important (Wingle, Martin & Bennett, 2006)
• Do not worry if a preschooler reports not knowing
much about a subject area
• Work to expose preschoolers to more complex
forms of literacy
Thank Youhttp://montclairhistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/preschool-girl-smiling.jpg
http://montclairhistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/preschool-girl-smiling.jpg
Work Cited…