Journal Article

Relation Between Language Experiences in Preschool Classrooms and Children's Kindergarten and Fourth-Grade Language and Reading Abilities

Porche, Michelle V., Dickinson, David K.

2011

Overview

Indirect effects of preschool classroom indexes of teacher talk were tested on fourth-grade outcomes for 57 students from low-income families in a longitudinal study of classroom and home influences on reading. Detailed observations and audiotaped teacher and child language data were coded to measure content and quantity of verbal interactions in preschool classrooms. Preschool teachers' use of sophisticated vocabulary during free play predicted fourth-grade reading comprehension and word recognition (mean age = 9; 7), with effects mediated by kindergarten child language measures (mean age = 5; 6). In large group preschool settings, teachers' attention-getting utterances were directly related to later comprehension. Preschool teachers' correcting utterances and analytic talk about books, and early support in the home for literacy predicted fourth-grade vocabulary, as mediated by kindergarten receptive vocabulary.

• Publisher: Blackwell Publishing Ltd,Wiley-Blackwell
• Subject: Age differences / Attention / Biological and medical sciences / Child / Child care / Child development / Child Language / Child, Preschool / Children / Classroom Communication / Classroom observation / Classrooms / Comprehension / Developmental psychology / Early Intervention (Education) / Educational development / Elementary School Students / Emergent literacy / EMPIRICAL ARTICLES / Family Influence / Female / Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology / Grade 4 / Humans / Indirect effects / Interpersonal Relations / Kindergarten / Kindergarten education / Kindergartens / Language / Language Acquisition / Language Development / Language Enrichment / Language Skills / Language use / Literacy / Longitudinal Studies / Low Income / Low Income Groups / Male / Poverty - psychology / Pre-school education / Preschool Children / Preschool Education / Preschool Teachers / Preschools / Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry / Psychology. Psychophysiology / Reading / Reading Ability / Reading Comprehension / Reading Instruction / Receptive language / Student teacher relationship / Teachers / Teaching - methods / Utterances / Verbal Behavior / Verbal communication / Verbal interactions / Verbal Learning / Vocabulary / Vocabulary development / Word Meaning / Word Recognition / Words