Young Children's Concepts about Print and Reading: Toward a Model of Word Reading Acquisition

TLDR

The study tested theoretical models of how print concepts develop and influence word reading. Eighteen measures of print concepts and word reading were collected from 81 children aged 3–7, and a five‑component model linking concepts‑about‑print to graphic awareness, phonemic awareness, grapheme‑phoneme knowledge, and ultimately word reading was tested. The five‑component model fit the data better than simpler models, and developmental analyses showed that children’s knowledge in each print component increases with age.

Abstract

THE AUTHORS tested theoretical models of the development of print concepts and word reading. Eighteen measures of print concepts and word reading were obtained from 81 children three to seven years of age. A five-component model hypothesized from previous findings fit the data better than a fouror two-component model. The five component model included a concepts-about-print component which influenced a graphic awareness component, which in turn influenced a phonemic awareness component, which influenced a grapheme-phoneme correspondence knowledge component, which ultimately influenced a word reading component; in addition, concepts about print also influenced grapheme-phoneme correspondence knowledge. According to results of developmental analyses, children expand their knowledge in each of these print components with age.