Joint book reading strategies with young children and caregivers

Quek, E. E. L. (2004). An exploratory study of joint book reading with young children and caregivers (Master’s thesis). Retrieved from http://libris.nie.edu.sg/

Background

Reading to and with young children has long been viewed positively by both parents and their children. However, there is limited evidence to show how these joint book reading sessions are beneficial to children.

Aims

This study sought to identify a set of verbal and non-verbal strategies caregivers commonly use during joint book reading sessions and to understand the motivation behind the use of these strategies.

Sample

Three caregiver-child dyads participated in the study. All three caregivers were ethnic Chinese females from Singapore. The three child-participants were of pre-kindergarten age and had not received any formal reading instruction.

Method

For this exploratory study, data collection per dyad included observations and two video-recordings of the joint book reading sessions. Face-to-face interviews were also conducted with each caregiver after the recording sessions. The collected data was subsequently coded and analysed.

Findings

All three caregivers tended to use particular types of verbal and non-verbal strategies frequently during the joint book reading sessions. Verbal strategies included: (a) posing of questions, (b) provision of feedback, and (c) use of procedural utterances to direct attention to the reading. Care-givers were also observed to use non-verbal strategies such as pointing at the text and illustrations, looking at the child, and using hand gestures. According to the care-givers, the process of asking questions helped them to monitor their child’s attention to the joint book reading activity while the provision of feedback was employed to help build children’s confidence in reading activities. They were also more inclined to point to the text so as to guide their children in reading and to introduce new vocabulary.

Implications

Although the observed caregivers might not have had formal instruction in the concepts of emergent literacy, their use of reading strategies was found to be in line with what was already espoused by research scholars. In addition, the caregivers’ personal beliefs about reading and its importance played an important role in shaping their use of reading strategies, which in turn had an impact on the children’s exposure to foundational reading competencies and thinking skills.

Original article retrieved from NIE Digital Repository.