Mothers’ literacy beliefs: Connections with the home literacy environment and pre-school children’s literacy development

TLDR

The study examined how mothers’ literacy beliefs relate to the home literacy environment and preschool children’s literacy development. Data from 79 mother–child dyads over one year identified two distinct parental literacy belief profiles. Mothers were classified as ‘Facilitative’ or ‘Conventional’; Facilitative mothers’ homes were more literacy‑rich and their children showed higher print knowledge and reading interest, underscoring the link between parental beliefs, home environment, and child literacy outcomes.

Abstract

This study examined mothers’ beliefs about literacy development, the association of those beliefs with other aspects of the home literacy environment, and connections between parental literacy beliefs and pre-school aged children’s literacy development. Data were collected from 79 mothers and their children over one year, and two profiles of parental literacy beliefs emerged. ‘Facilitative’ mothers believed that taking an active role in teaching children at home would provide opportunities for their children to gain vocabulary, knowledge, and morals. ‘Conventional’ mothers expressed the belief that schools, more than parents, are responsible for teaching children and tended to report many challenges to reading with children. Homes with Facilitative mothers tended to be more literacy enriching than homes of Conventional mothers, and children with Facilitative mothers displayed more advanced print knowledge and interest in reading. These findings have implications for understanding the connections among parental literacy beliefs, home literacy environments, and children’s literacy outcomes.