Research on Early Literacy
Can be used in articles, grant applications, etc.
According to the 1991 Carnegie Foundation report, Ready to Learn, A Mandate for the Nation,
- 35% of children in the United States enter public schools with such low levels of the skills and motivation that are needed as starting points in our current educational system that they are at substantial risk for early academic difficulties.
- This problem, which is usually placed under the rubric of school readiness, is strongly linked to family income. The National Assessment of Educational Progress has documented substantial differences in the reading and writing ability of children as a function of the economic level of their parents. For example, among African-American and Hispanic students in the U.S. (two groups who experience disproportionate rates of poverty) the percentages of Grade 4 students reading below the basic level are 64% and 60%, respectively (National Center for Educational Statistics).
- The relationship between the skills with which children enter school and their later academic performance is strikingly stable. For instance, research has shown that there is nearly a 90% probability that a child will remain a poor reader at the end of the fourth grade if the child is a poor reader at the end of the first grade. Further, knowledge of alphabet letters at entry into kindergarten is a strong predictor of reading ability in 10th grade. Putting together these and many other findings, we see that school achievement co-varies with family income and social class. Social class differences in children's academic skills exist at the very beginning of school, and individual differences in school performance are stable from kindergarten to high school. There is tragedy in these facts because children's lives depend on success in school. Children who start school behind and typically stay behind. Their lives are at risk.
- Children’s early experiences with children’s books are among the most significant correlates with their success in learning to read in school. Specific aspects of these books, such as the interest level for children and ease of understanding and remembering the story, make the experience even more effective . (Mason, Jana and Kerr, Bonnie. 1992. "Literacy Transfer from Parents to Children in the Preschool Years" in The Intergenerational Transfer of Cognitive Skills, Vol. II: Theory and Research in Cognitive Science, Ablex; Morrow, Lesley. 1993, pp.132-133. Literacy Development in the Early Years: Helping Children Read and Write. Allyn and Bacon.)
- Children are more motivated to request being read to, and to "read" or explore on their own, books with which they are already familiar or have heard read before and have enjoyed. (Brock, Dana and Dodd, Elizabeth. 1994. "A Family Lending Library: Promoting Early Literacy Development" in Young Children 49,no.3(March):16-21; Schickedanz, Judith.1993. "Designing the Early Childhood Classroom Environment to Facilitate Literacy Development" in Language and Literacy in Early Childhood Education Yearbook in Early Childhood Education 4. Teachers College Press.)
- There is a positive relationship between how much children have been read to and how well they will read.
- (Lancy, David. 1994. Children’s Emergent Literacy: From Research to Practice. Praeger; Scarborough, Hollis, Dobrich, Wanda, and Hager, Marcia.1991. "Preschool Literacy Experience and Later Reading Achievement" in Journal of Learning Disabilities 24,no.8(October): 508-511.)
- Storybook reading is a more effective influence on literacy development when children have opportunities to engage in conversation about the story. (Mason, Jana and Kerr, Bonnie. 1992. "Literacy Transfer from Parents to Children in the Preschool Years" in The Intergenerational Transfer of Cognitive Skills, Vol. II: Theroy and Research in Cognitive Science, Ablex; Pellegrini, A.D. and Galda, Lee. 1994. "Not by Print Alone: Oral Language Supports for Early Literacy Development" in Children’s Emergent Literacy: From Research to Practice. Praeger.)
- Children benefit most from the opportunity to interact with on-the-spot literacy events in their everyday lives, such as watching for the McDonald’s sign along the highway, finding a correct page in a catalog, or looking at one’s own name on an envelope or name tag (Teale, William. 1995. Public Libraries and Emergent Literacy: Helping Set the Foundation for School Success. In Achieving School Readiness: Public Libraries and National Education Goal #1. Chicago: American Library Association)
- Literacy is enhanced when adults join in with children’s pretend or symbolic play, for example, playing restaurant or playing school. (Pellegrini, A.D. and Galda, Lee. 1994. "Not by Print Alone: Oral Language Supports for Early Literacy Development" in Children’s Emergent Literacy: From Research to Practice. Praeger.)
- Children acquire literacy better when their literacy experiences build on their existing knowledge, strengths, and interests, instead of participating in experiences that focus on their disabilities (Slaughter-Defoe, Diana.1992. Forward to the Past: Black and White American Families: Literacy and Policy Lag. In The Intergenerational Transfer of Cognitive Skills, Vol. II: Theory and Research in Cognitive Science. Ablex.).
- Supportive efforts that begin very early in life have the best chances for success. This is especially crucial for children dealing with additional difficulties such as learning problems or family support problems (Lancy, David. 1994. Children’s Emergent Literacy: From Research to Practice. Praeger; Scarborough, Hollis, Dobrich, Wanda, and Hager, Marcia.1991. "Preschool Literacy Experience and Later Reading Achievement" in Journal of Learning Disabilities 24,no.8 (October): 508-511.)
- Children need opportunities for intimate, individualized literacy support-to interact with an observant, skilled adult (Strickland, Dorothy. 1994. Educating African American Learners at Risk: Finding a Better Way. Language Arts 71 no.5 (September): 38-336). When possible, it is best for parents assume this role during the early years, but data regarding high school dropout rates, declining reading achievement, and the many stresses facing poor families (Children's Defense Fund, 1995. The State of America’s Children Yearbook. DC: Children’s Defense Fund) indicate that young, vulnerable children cannot always wait until their families are ready to support their learning. All young children need this informed, responsive interaction from the start of their lives, whether it is provided by parents or a supporting community.
- "Disparities in children's academic skills are substantial on their first day of formal schooling," Valerie Lee said, "so solutions that focus only on the school setting come to late to have as much impact as we would hope to achieve." Inequality at the Starting Gate (2002) from Economic Policy Institute
Effects of Every Child Ready to Read Project
- In sharing books and using the library, the two behaviors included in all three sessions, the parents of 0-23 month olds were least likely to use the behaviors; after attending the sessions, they dramatically increased their frequency of use. Their comments suggest that, before attending the sessions, they believed their children were too young.
- Teen parents of 0-23 month olds and 2-3 year olds lagged older parents in using early literacy behaviors; they made very substantial gains as a result of their participation in the early literacy sessions. The percentage of teen parents of 0-23 month olds sharing books increased 30.5 percent increase compared with the average 16.0 percent increase, and teen parents of 2-3 year olds made a 17.6 percent increase in sharing books compared with the 10.1 average increase. The percentages of teen parents using the library exceeded the average gains of all parents-26.4 compared with 22.4 percent for all parents of 0-23 month olds and 41.2 compared with 23.1 for all parents of 2-3 year olds. Teen parents of 2-3 year olds outpaced others in gains in asking general questions-23.5 percent compared with 13.2 percent for older parents.
- Parents’ education was an important predictor of using literacy behaviors. Those with some high school shared books (all three age levels) less frequently at intake-75.7 percent, but increased to 97 percent after attending a session. Parents with some high school (all three age levels) increased library usage by 15 percent. Low-education parents of 0-23 year olds trailed in talking to their babies but increased 20.2 percent as a result of attending an early literacy session. Parents of 2-3 year olds with some high school or a high school degree made greater-than-average gains in encouraging their children to name objects; those with some high school gained 13.5 percent and those with a high school degree 12.5 percent. These parents also asked general questions less frequently, but gained 20.8 and 10.9 percent respectively. Parents of 4-5 year olds with a high school degree helped their children build vocabulary at lower rates than average at intake; the gap remained at follow-up-84.2 compared with 95.8 percent.
- Parents’ income was an important factor in sharing books; low-income parents made impressive gains. Low-income parents increased sharing books to 98.4 percent-an 11.8 percent increase. Low-income parents closed the gap in their monthly library use by increasing 39.3 percent, compared with middle-income parents’ 5.3 percent increase; at follow-up 58.9 percent of low-income parents and 61.8 percent of middle class parents of 0-23 year olds were using the library a few times a month. Low-income parents of 2-3 year olds increased library use by 30 percent, but total use of 81 percent still lagged the 100 percent by middle class users at follow-up. Low-income parents of 4-5 year olds increased library use by 52.9 percent to 88.8 percent, while middle class parents’ use dropped 9.5 percent to 79.3 percent. Low-income parents of 0-23 month olds increased talking to their babies about objects in their surroundings by 12.6 percent, to 92.2 percent. Low-income parents of 4-5 year olds raised their frequency of helping their children build vocabulary by 10.6 percent, to 92.8 percent.