Quality of Teachers' Language Input During Shared Book Reading in Rural China Preschools

• In Event: Early Literacy Across Contexts

Abstract

This study examined preschool teachers’ language input quality during shared book reading instruction in rural China. We designed a coding scheme and coded 36 county-level classroom recordings from the perspectives of language content and language interaction. While teachers’ language input tended to elicit teacher-directed talk, pedagogical practices conducive to children’s language and literacy development were evident. We also applied multiple linear regression models to investigate the associations between teachers’ language input quality and their educational and professional backgrounds as well as their overall class interaction quality. We found that teachers’ years of teaching were negatively correlated with their language input quality. Implications for professional development design to promote rural China preschool teachers’ language input quality are discussed.

Authors

• Wei Zhang, Harvard University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Yinan Jiang, Harvard University
  Presenting Author

• Yunchen Xue, Harvard University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Si Chen, Chinese University of Hong Kong
  Presenting Author