Urška Fekonja

Assessing the Home Literacy Environment

Abstract. As the findings of many studies have shown, different aspects of childrens home literacy environment are related to the development of their language competence. We designed the Home Literacy Environment Questionnaire (HLEQ) to evaluate the quality of different aspects of the home literacy environment. This paper presents the development of this instrument, including: (1) the construction of the instrument based on the theoretical background and findings about the relation between family environment and child language development; (2) examination of the construct validity of the HLEQ and (3) an evaluation of its empirical criterion validity through correlations with childrens achievements on a language development scale and their storytelling ability. Language competence was assessed with a sample of 4-year-old children that attended a Slovenian preschool. Using factor analysis, five HLEQ factors were identified: Stimulation to use language, explanation (F1), Reading books to the child, visiti...

The effect of preschool on children’s school readiness

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of preschool on children’s school readiness in connection with their intellectual abilities, language competence and parents’ education. The sample included 219 children from 68 to 83 months old attending the first year of primary school, differentiated by whether or not they had attended preschool before starting school. Children’s intellectual ability was determined using Raven’s Coloured Progressive Matrices, language competence using the Lestvice splošnega govornega razvoja–LJ (Scales of General Language Development) and school readiness with the Preizkus pripravljenosti za šolo (Test of School Readiness). The results indicate that children’s intellectual ability and language competence have high predictive value for the school readiness because they explain 51% of the variance in children’s scores on the Preizkus pripravljenosti za šolo. Preschool enrollment has a positive effect on school readiness for children whose parents have a low level of education, but not for those whose parents are highly educated. The results obtained indicate that enrollment in preschool is able to compensate for deficiencies in children’s development if the parents have a lower level of education. Preschool is not an important factor in school readiness for children whose parents are highly educated. These parents probably already offer their children quality stimulation in the family environment that preschool activities do not surpass.

Quality of the preschool and home environment as a context of children's language development

SUMMARY Studies in the area of developmental psychology — especially those carried out in the past thirty years — show that preschool quality, both at the structural and process levels, in combination with the quality of the family environment influences various areas of childrens development and learning. The goal of this study is to determine the effect of preschool quality, maternal and paternal educational level, and the age of the child when starting preschool on various areas of childrens language competence (understanding language, verbal expression, and metalanguage). Our sample included 5-year-old children attending preschool — some for approximately four years, others for two. We also took into account the level of maternal and paternal education, as well as the quality of the preschool class the child was attending, as an independent variable. The results indicate that maternal education is the strongest predictor of childrens language competence measured among 5 year olds, regardless of the childs age upon entry into preschool. It was also determined that early entry into a high quality preschool is a factor that lessens the effect of parental education on childrens language development, and has a positive effect on the language development of children whose parents have a low level of education and express a lower level of language competence.

The Effect of Children's Gender and Parental Education on Toddler Language Development.

ABSTRACT Several studies have demonstrated that children’s gender and parental education exert a significant, but not equal, effect on toddler language development at different ages. This study determined the effect of children’s gender and parental education on the verbal competence of toddlers between 16 and 30 months. The sample included 953 Slovenian toddlers (approximately half boys and half girls) whose parents differed in the level of formal education completed. Their language competence was evaluated using the Inventory of Communicative Competence for Toddlers Aged 16 to 30 Months: Words and Sentences (ICC/Words and Sentences: Marjanovič Umek et al. 2004). The parents provided an evaluation of the toddlers’ use of language. The findings demonstrate that gender has a significant effect on toddlers’ language competence, regardless of their age. Parents assessed girls as more verbally competent than boys in all of the language use areas evaluated, regardless of their age. Parental education had a significant effect on certain areas of toddlers’ language competence, regardless of their gender. On the basis of these findings, it can be concluded that at the age of 16 to 30 months important developmental changes occur in the areas of toddler language competence that were evaluated. RÉSUMÉ: Des études ont démontré que le sexe de l’enfant et le niveau de formation des parents jouent un rôle significatif dans le développement de la compétence langagière chez les enfants en bas âge, mais que leur importance varie en fonction des différentes tranches d’âge. La présente étude se propose d’étudier l’influence exercée par le sexe de l’enfant et par le niveau de formation des parents sur la compétence langagière des enfants âgés de seize à trente mois. Nous avons inclus dans notre étude 953 enfants slovènes en bas âge (avec environ une part égale de filles et de garçons), dont les parents avaient des niveaux de formation différents. La compétence langagière des enfants a été évaluée à l’aide de l’Inventaire du développement des compétences communicatives pour enfants en bas âge, âgés de 16 à 30 mois: mots et phrases (Liste razvoja sporazumevalnih zmožnosti za malčke, stare od 16 do 30 mesecev: besede in stavki), (Marjanovič Umek, Kranjc, Fekonja et Bajc, 2004). Ce sont les parents qui ont évalué la compétence langagière de leurs enfants. Il en résulte que le sexe de l’enfant joue un rôle important quant à la compétence langagière de l’enfant en bas âge, quel que soit son âge. Les parents ont évalué les filles comme étant plus compétentes à l’oral que les garçons, à tous les niveaux d’évaluation de l’usage de l’oral, quelle que soit la tranche d’âge observée. Le niveau de formation des parents joue un rôle important sur certains segments de la compétence langagière des enfants en bas âge. Les résultats obtenus nous permettent de conclure que la période de seize à trente mois apporte des changements significatifs dans le développement de la compétence langagière chez les enfants en bas âge. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG: Aus mehreren Studien geht hervor, dass das Geschlecht des Kindes und die Ausbildung seiner Eltern einen bedeutenden, jedoch nicht gleich großen Einfluss auf die Sprachentwicklung des Kindes in verschiedenen Altersphasen haben. In der vorliegenden Studie wurden der Einfluss des Geschlechts des Kindes und die Ausbildung der Eltern auf die Sprachkompetenz von Kleinkindern im Alter von sechzehn bis dreißig Monaten hin untersucht. Insgesamt 953 slowenische Kleinkinder (etwa zur Hälfte Mädchen und Jungen) wurden als Testpersonen in die Studie aufgenommen, deren Eltern sich im erreichten Ausbildungsabschluss unterschieden. Die Sprachkompetenz der Kleinkinder wurde mit Hilfe des Verzeichnisses der Kommunikationsfähigkeiten für Kleinkinder im Alter von 16 bis 30 Monaten: Wörter und Sätze (ICC/Words and Sentences: Marjanovič Umek et al. 2004) bewertet. Der Gebrauch der Sprache des Kindes wurde von seinen Eltern beurteilt. Die Resultate ergaben, dass das Geschlecht der Kinder, ungeachtet ihres Alters, einen bedeutenden Einfluss auf ihre Sprachkompetenz hat. Mädchen wurden unabhängig von ihrem Alter von ihren Eltern auf allen Bewertungsebenen als kompetenter in der Sprache im Vergleich zu Jungen bewertet. Die Ausbildungsstufe der Eltern hatte wesentlichen Einfluss in einigen Bereichen der Sprachkompetenz der Kleinkinder, ungeachtet deren Geschlechts. Den Resultaten zufolge kann festgestellt werden, dass in den bewerteten Bereichen bei Kleinkindern im Alter von sechzehn bis dreißig Monaten wichtige Veränderungen auf dem Gebiet der Sprachkompetenzentwicklung eintreten. RESUMEN: Los resultados de diversas investigaciones demuestran que el sexo del niño y la educación de sus padres tienen un efecto importante, pero no en el mismo grado en diferentes edades, sobre el desarrollo del habla infantil. La presente investigación establece el efecto del sexo del niño y la educación de sus padres sobre la competencia verbal de niños pequeños entre 16 y 30 meses. La muestra abarcó 953 niños pequeños eslovenos (aproximadamente la mitad eran niños y la otra mitad niñas) cuyos padres tenían diferentes niveles de educación formal. Para evaluar la competencia verbal de los niños se empleó el Inventario de competencia comunicativa para niños pequeños de 16 a 30 meses de edad: palabras y frases (Marjanović Umek, Kranjc, Fekonja y Bajc, 2004). Los padres evaluaron el uso de la lengua de los pequeños. Los resultados comprueban que el sexo tiene un efecto significativo sobre la competencia verbal de los niños independientemente de su edad. Los padres evaluaron a las niñas como más competentes verbalmente que los niños en todos los campos de uso del lenguaje evaluados, independientemente de la edad. La educación de los padres tuvo un efecto significativo sobre ciertos campos de la competencia verbal de los niños independientemente del sexo de los niños. Teniendo en cuenta los resultados obtenidos se puede concluir también que en la edad entre 16 y 30 meses se realizan importantes cambios en el desarrollo de la competenecia verbal de los niños en los campos evaluados.

The impact of reading children's literature on language development in the preschool child

SUMMARY The importance of the role played by childrens literature in the childs mental, social and linguistic development and in the development of his or her basic academic skills, such as reading and writing, has been confirmed by numerous studies (e.g. Becher and Wolfgans, 1977; Browne, 1996; Pellegrini, 1980; Pellegrini and Galda, 1992). A central issue in developmental psychology is what activities related to childrens books exert an influence on the childs development and in what ways. This interest in childrens books and in child language development places our research into two scientific disciplines, viz. psychology and linguistics. The study explores the impact of systematic and regular reading of selected childrens books in preschool institutions on the development of language competences in children aged four to six years, boys and girls.

Early Versus Late Entry to Preschool: The Effect on the Child's Language Development

SUMMARY As part of a larger Slovene longitudinal study on the impact of the preschool institution on the childs development and his or her school achievements, effects of the age at entry to preschool on childrens language were explored. The sample included 82 children, who were divided into two groups depending on their age at entry to the preschool institution: group A consisted of children who entered preschool at approximately 3 years, and group B those who entered preschool at approximately 1 year of age. Childrens language competences were assessed using a Language Development Scale and a Story Telling Test at Time 1 (the average age 38 months) and at Time 2, one year later (the average age 50 months). Early entry to preschool was found to have no negative effects on childrens language competences in toddlerhood. Children who entered preschool at an early age told more coherent stories than those who started attending preschool at 3 years of age. Effects of maternal educational level and the childs gender on language competences were also assessed. Children whose mothers had a higher level of formal education showed higher language competences than those whose mothers had less education. No significant effect was found of childrens gender on language expression, comprehension, or storytelling. The obtained results were interpreted in the light of the Slovene preschool curriculum, a national document providing guidelines for educational work in preschool institutions, and of current practice observed in Slovene preschool institutions.

The quality of mother–child shared reading: its relations to child’s storytelling and home literacy environment

ABSTRACT In the present study, we analysed the relations among the quality of mother–child shared reading, child’s storytelling and family literacy environment. The sample included 20 mother–child dyads, with 5-year-old children, who were recorded during shared reading. The quality of shared reading was assessed with the Scale for Observing Shared Reading while children’s storytelling was assessed with the textless book Frog Goes to Dinner. We found that the quality of mother–child shared reading was related to the coherence of children’s stories and to the factors of home literacy environment. Child’s age when parents started reading to him, the number of all books and children’s books in child’s home together explained 43.1% of the variance in the quality of shared reading. The findings give an insight into the process of the quality of the interactive reading between a child and an adult and emphasize the importance of shared reading for child’s storytelling.