Spontaneous Responses During Repeated Reading in Young Children from ‘At Risk’ Backgrounds

Abstract

There is a wealth of information about parental behaviors that influence shared reading interactions (e.g., DeLoache & DeMendoza, 1987; Ninio & Bruner, 1978; Pellegrini, Brody & Sigel, 1985; Senechal, Cornell & Broda, 1995; Snow & Goldfield, 1983). However, there is little information available about younger children's spontaneous responses to shared reading. The purpose of the present study was to examine spontaneous responses to six repeated readings in 2‐ to 3‐year‐old children from at risk backgrounds. Frequent spontaneous responses of children included labeling pictures, commenting about the pictures/story and repeating what the reader said. Less frequent responses used by children were directives and asking questions. Overall verbal activity increased across the six repeated readings, as well as the number of different responses used by children. There were large individual differences in the frequency with which children used different responses. Implications of these results for the use of repeated readings within early childhood education will be discussed.