The socialization of emergent literacy

Abstract

The objectives of this study were (a) to document the development of emergent literacy in preschoolers, and (b) to examine the role of mother-child storybook interaction in the socialization of emergent literacy. One hundred and twelve preschool children (ranging in age from $2{1\over2}$ to $5{1\over2}$-years-old), and their mothers participated in the study. Dyads were videotaped reading a storybook, and interactions were subsequently scored for mother and child goal-directed behavior. Following the storybook interaction, mothers completed a questionnaire regarding home literacy practices while children's emergent literacy knowledge was assessed. Child assessments included story retelling, measures of book and print conventions, and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. A series of MANOVA's and Chi-Squared tests of independence revealed that children's emergent literacy knowledge displayed during dyadic interaction and during independent story retelling changed both quantitatively and qualitatively as a function of age. Further, maternal instruction paralleled children's literacy knowledge displayed during storybook interaction. This study provides evidence for the role of social interaction in the socialization of emergent literacy in two important ways. First, 69 percent of dyads matched instruction with current child competence. Second, dyadic patterns displayed during storybook interaction were related to children's independent performance during story retelling. Results are discussed in terms of implications for the development of emergent literacy and for the socialization of emergent literacy.