Journal Article

Low-income fathers’ speech to toddlers during book reading versus toy play

LEECH, KATHRYN A., SALO, VIRGINIA C., ROWE, MEREDITH L., CABRERA, NATASHA J.

2016

Overview

Fathers’ child-directed speech across two contexts was examined. Father–child dyads from sixty-nine low-income families were videotaped interacting during book reading and toy play when children were 2;0. Fathers used more diverse vocabulary and asked more questions during book reading while their mean length of utterance was longer during toy play. Variation in these specific characteristics of fathers’ speech that differed across contexts was also positively associated with child vocabulary skill measured on the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory. Results are discussed in terms of how different contexts elicit specific qualities of child-directed speech that may promote language use and development.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Subject: Brief Research Reports / Child development / Child Language / Child poverty / Child, Preschool / Child-directed speech / Children / Communication / Context Effect / Discourse Analysis / Early Intervention, Educational / Father-Child Relations / Fathers / Female / Humans / Infant / Interpersonal Communication / Language Acquisition / Language Development / Language Skills / Language Usage / Linguistic Input / Literacy / Low Income / Low income groups / MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory / Male / Mean length of utterance / Measures (Individuals) / Native language acquisition / Parent Child Relationship / Parent-child relations / Play and Playthings - psychology / Poverty - psychology / Preschool children / Questioning Techniques / Reading / Reading Aloud to Others / Receptive Language / Shared reading / Speech / Speech Perception / Toddlers / Toys / Verbal Behavior / Videotape Recording / Vocabulary / Vocabulary Development / Young Children