Literacy learning of young Chinese children
Explore how family background shapes literacy learning in young Singaporean Chinese children before primary school, and what this means for equal access to education.
Last updated 9 September 2026
Koh, G. H. (2010). Preparing for school: An ethnographic study of young Chinese children's literacy learning (Doctoral dissertation). Retrieved from http://libris.nie.edu.sg/
Background
This study investigated why Singaporean Chinese students were particularly successful in the Singapore education system.
Aims
This study investigated four pre-school Singaporean Chinese children to discover (1) how their families prepared them for school and (2) the nature of their literacy learning prior to entering primary school.
Sample
Four pre-school children and their families participated in this study:
Participating children's family background and social class
Name | Class | Mother | Father | Others |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Emmanuel | Middle | Masters / PT Editor | Degree / Manager | Grandmother (Chinese teacher) |
Laura | Middle | Degree / Civil Servant | Degree / Bank Analyst | Grandmother |
Callie | Working | NTC / Housewife | Degree / Engineer | NA |
Finn | Working | Secondary / Housewife | Secondary / Driver | NA |
Method
Observations were made at the participants’ homes, kindergartens, and primary schools. Data collected included field notes, audio and video recordings, and photographs. Interviews were conducted with most parents.
Findings
The findings showed that all the parents invested a lot of their time, effort, and money to give their children a head start in education. The social background and educational level of the parents, particularly of the mothers, had a significant influence on the preparation process. To meet the demands of a bilingual education, all families used both English and Mandarin at home, regardless of their competence.
Home literacy events differed among the families. The middle-class homes incorporated the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) and popular culture to bring an element of pleasure to the learning. The working-class homes restricted literacy events to those typically associated with the classroom. Middle-class parents possessed more resources privileged by the education system and seemed more effective at preparing their children for school, not only at the primary level, but also for further into the future, i.e. at the tertiary level. In contrast, the working-class parents did not possess many of these resources and could only focus on the present.
Implications
The author thought it necessary to heighten the awareness of the inequalities this study uncovered in the educational environment and to attempt to make it more socially just.
Original article retrieved from NIE Digital Repository (opens in new tab).