The Role of Variability in the Questions Asked During Shared Book Reading with Preschoolers

• In Event: Poster Session 05
  In Poster Session: PS 05 Topic - Language, Communication

Abstract

Shared book reading with preschoolers has been linked to lasting, positive effects on children’s vocabulary (Montag et al., 2015; Mol et al., 2008). However, we know very little about the mechanisms behind vocabulary learning and retention from shared book reading because most studies have been correlational (Noble et al., 2019). In particular, some shared book reading studies show that although children may learn words from books, they cannot remember those words after a delay (Horst et al., 2011). Because the words in books tend to be more infrequent, perhaps words learned from books need to be augmented with memory supports. One effective memory support is the amount of variability associated with the presentation of words (Goldenberg & Sandhofer, 2013). The effects of variability have only been implicitly examined in storybooks by studies that look at the increased diversity of words that books provide (Montag et al., 2011) and the increased diversity in linguistic context. Explicit manipulation of the variability found in shared book reading is needed to examine its role in memory for words learned from books. This study will determine how variability in the questions asked during shared book reading affects the retention of specific novel words presented in books. Specifically, 60 3-4-year-olds will be read books with novel words that are accompanied by irrelevant questions (control), the same relevant questions (no variability), or different relevant questions (variability) each time the word is presented (See Figure 1). We will first measure children’s receptive vocabulary to match them on overall vocabulary level. Then we will read them a story with novel objects three times. After the reading sessions, children will take a receptive test of the novel words they learned in one of two test delays: 0 minutes or 5 minutes. First, we hypothesize that asking relevant questions about the word being learned will improve the learning of that word. Secondly, we hypothesize that asking the same relevant questions will lead to increased retention of novel words when tested immediately, but different relevant questions will lead to increased retention at a delay. Results will be analyzed using a mixed-effects ANOVA due to the use of both within-subject (question variability) and between-subject (time delay) factors. We plan to test the following comparisons: relevant questions compared to irrelevant questions and same questions compared to different questions. Comparing all relevant questions to irrelevant questions will determine if asking questions helps children learn new words. Comparing same and different relevant questions will determine what role variability has in the retention of newly learned words. Online data collection for this study will begin in November. Our lab is currently averaging about 5-10 preschoolers per week per study in online data collection, so completing data collection for 60 preschoolers before April is highly feasible. Ultimately, the results from this study will inform word learning theories and serve to create materials to improve the quality of shared book reading sessions between caregivers and children.

Authors

• Michelle Lynn Luna, University of Notre Dame
  Presenting Author

• Catherine Sandhofer, University of California - Los Angeles
  Non-Presenting Author