Direct and mediated influences of home literacy and literacy interest on prereaders' oral vocabulary and early written language skill.

TLDR

Home literacy activities and children’s interest in literacy are two independent sources of literacy experience that shape kindergarten prereaders’ language development, with a focus on print exposure versus explicit print‑sound instruction. Home literacy explained 21 % of variance in oral vocabulary and 18 % in early written language, with phonological awareness mediating its effect on writing, while literacy interest contributed uniquely to written language but not to vocabulary.

Abstract

Home literacy (reports of children's literacy activities at home and parents' storybook title recognition) and literacy interest (children's reports of feelings about literacy activities) were identified as 2 independent sources of literacy experience among 92 kindergarten prereaders. Together, they accounted for significant variance in oral vocabulary (21%) and on a letter-name and letter-sound measure of early written language (18%). Entering phonological awareness first in hierarchical regression eliminated home literacy's unique contribution to written language but not to vocabulary, indicating that home literacy is directly related to vocabulary but that phonological awareness mediates its relationship with written language. Literacy interest was unrelated to phonological awareness and accounted for unique variance in written language only. Discussion focused on print exposure versus explicit print-sound instruction in home literacy activities.