Preschoolers' emergent literacy skills predict their attitudes toward and perceptions of reading. The study found that preschoolers with higher emergent literacy skills reported knowing less about reading and liking it less, compared to those with lower skills. When asked to define reading, preschoolers relied on books but showed a more limited understanding than adults. Preschoolers with stronger skills also expressed more intrinsic motivations for learning to read. The results suggest preschool interventions should focus on motivation rather than perceived ability.

1. Preschoolers’ Emergent Literacy
Predicts Attitudes Toward and
Perceptions of Reading
By: Kirsten T. Craft and Dr. Olivia K. Lima

2. Introduction
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3. Background
• Preschoolers do not come into the classroom as blank slates
• In home exposure to learning does matter (Fernald, Marchman &
Weisleder, 2013)
• Lower emergent literacy skills (Bowman, Donovan & Burns, 2001)
• Long term negative impacts
• Explained by relationship between perceived ability and
engagement (Fantuzzo, Perry & McDermott, 2004)
• Preschool interventions cited as a solution (Logian, 2006)
• Motivation (Schweinie, 2011)

4. Objectives and Hypotheses
• Objectives
• How do attitudes relate to ability?
• How do preschoolers define reading?
• Hypotheses
• Positive attitudes would be associated with high emergent
literacy. Negative attitudes would be associated with low
emergent literacy.
• Preschoolers would rely on books and text to define
reading.

5. Method
http://www.njfamily.com/NJ-Family/June-2012/Summer-Reading-101/Preschooler-Reading-500.jpg

6. Participants
• Participants
• 14 Preschoolers
• Gender
• 9 Males
• 5 Females
• Age
• Mean 4.43 years
• Demographics
• Similar to Sioux Falls

7. Materials
• Materials
• Survey questions and
scales
• Artist illustrations
• The Get Ready to Read
Revised (Whitehurst & Lonigan,
2010)
• (M=18.3, SD=3.7)
Illustrated by Esther Rainbow

8. Reading vs. Not Reading
Illustrated by Esther Rainbow

9. The Get Ready to Read
(Whitehurst & Lonigan, 2010)

10. The Get Ready to Read
(Whitehurst & Lonigan, 2010)

11. Procedure
• Part One – Day One
• Shown illustrations and asked what they thought the child
was doing
• Open ended questions
• Likert scales used to assess attitudes
• Part Two – Day Two
• Get Ready to Read revised
• Both parts were introduced to children as games

12. Results
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13. Objective One
• Objective
• How do attitudes relate to ability?
• Hypothesis
• Positive attitudes would be associated with high emergent literacy and negative
attitudes would be associated with low emergent literacy.
• Results
• Negative attitudes (M=4) were associated with with high emergent emergent
literacy and more positive attitudes (M=4.43) were associated with low emergent
literacy.
• Preschoolers with high emergent literacy skills reported that they knew less
about reading (M= 3.14) than preschoolers with below average emergent literacy
skills (M=4.14).
• It did not reach significance (P=.21)

14. Graphic Visuals
How Much Do You Know How Much Do You Like
0
1
2
3
4
5
Above Average Below Average
Above Average
Below Average
0
1
2
3
4
5
Above Average Below Average
Above Average
Below Average

15. Objective Two
• Objective
• How do preschoolers define reading
• Hypothesis
• Preschoolers would rely on books and text to define reading.
• Results
• More limited interpretation of reading than adult comparison
• Reliance on books
• Adults included more complex interpretations

16. Other Interesting Findings
• Do you know how to read?
• No clear relationship between emergent literacy and self reported ability to read
• “Yeah because I am four”
• “No because I am too little”
• “Yeah because I learned it”
• Is learning how to read important?
• Preschoolers with high emergent literacy skills were more likely to report
intrinsic motivations towards reading.
• Intrinsic “Yeah it helps you learn”
• Extrinsic “Yeah so you can do it when your teacher tells you to”
• Uncertain “Yeah cause I do not know”

17. Discussion
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18. Explanation of Results
• Objective One
• Preschoolers with high emergent literacy may have a more realistic
understanding of what reading is.
• Like it less
• Report knowing less
• Objective Two
• Preschoolers may not have had advanced exposure to literacy
• Other Findings
• Preschoolers may have different interpretations of what “knowing how to read”
is
• Preschoolers with high emergent literacy may have been taught differently

19. Macro Level Application
• Preschool Interventions
• No link between perceived ability and actual ability
• Link between motivation type and actual ability
• Classroom changes
• Preschool is a good time
• Focus on motivational drives

20. Micro Level Application
• At home
• Focus on showing preschoolers why reading is important
(Wingle, Martin & Bennett, 2006)
• Do not worry if a preschooler reports not knowing much
about a subject area
• Work to expose preschoolers to more complex forms of
literacy

21. Thank You
http://montclairhistorical.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/preschool-girl-smiling.jpg
http://montclairhistorical.org/wp-
content/uploads/2011/12/preschool-girl-
smiling.jpg

22. Work Cited
…