Read To Me! Early Literacy Intervention in an Early Head Start

• In Event: Scaffolding Play and Creativity: Infants to Preschoolers

Abstract

Findings will be discussed from a quasi-experimental study using a shared book reading intervention to support the language and literacy development of children ages birth to three in an Early Head Start setting. Meaning-related and code-related shared book reading interventions were implemented by teachers and families after training by university faculty with a significant increase in book reading practices with teachers (ω2= .61) and parents (ω2= .21). Teachers with a Bachelor’s degree used significantly more book reading strategies than did teachers without a Bachelor’s degree. Children’s language did not change significantly. Next steps include targeting parental beliefs, language use, vocabulary development, and designing a professional development program for implementation by Early Head Start personnel instead of university personnel.

Authors

• Evelyn Blalock, Columbus State University

• Deirdre C. Greer, Columbus State University

• Camille Lawrence Bryant, Columbus State University