The literacy experiences of a small group of culturally-diverse children were examined in this study. The experiences, too, were diverse – and influential. The children, five girls aged four – five years, attended the same Preschool, in an inner suburb of a large city in Australia. Data were gathered at home, during the last two months of the preschool year and, for three of the children, during writing sessions in the first six months of Year One. Vygotskian ideas on meaning-making were integrated with other perspectives on development, literacy learning and teaching from a sociocultural, theoretical framework. The purpose was to identify dimensions of children’s literacy experiences and provide insight into ways in which children negotiate culture, literacy, and schooling, challenge current perspectives, contribute to research knowledge and determine how teachers might take account of cultural diversity in classrooms to better support children in literacy learning. A grounded theory method was employed using multiple data collection tools and techniques in both home and school contexts. Data were coded using a process of constant comparison to identify features, characteristics and dimensions of children’s literacy experiences. Independent inter-rater agreement on the coding of features at home, Preschool and school was 98.4%. Findings included a variety of values, beliefs and perspectives amongst parents and between teachers in relation to literacy learning, roles and relationships, and home-school connections. Children’s literacy experiences at home differed in terms of nature, frequency and resources and experiences in each of the settings were very different. A major finding was that children acted as agents of their own learning: mixing, transferring, trying out, adapting, and experimenting to determine appropriate practices and make decisions including when to exercise choice to enact agency. These assimilation and accommodation adaptations were identified as akin to code-switching, labelled as culture-switching, and identified as areas requiring further research.

Abstract This qualitative interview study was designed to understand how early literacy experiences continue to influence individuals as they become adult readers. The study utilized a case study methodology that allowed detailed descriptions of participants’ recollections of early literacy experiences and descriptions of the participants’ current reading habits. The researcher, working from a constructivist paradigm, worked to find evidence to explore what features of early reading experiences might compel an individual to turn to reading again and again, or to choose to abstain from reading. The following research questions guided this study: “What specific memories do adult readers recall about early reading experiences?” “What is the nature of the influence of early reading experiences on lifelong reading habits as reported by adults?” and “What is the nature of the influence of lifelong reading habits on social and professional life as reported by adults?” Seven participants shared their earliest memories of literacy experiences, as rooted in family and school contexts, along with explanations of the uses of reading in their adult lives. The researcher employed a typological analysis to determine how participants’ memories of early literacy experiences impacted their adult reading habits. The many facets of early reading experiences that influenced the participants’ reading habits could be categorized as positive, neutral, or negative. Most individuals experienced a combination of positive and negative literacy experiences, and the nature of these experiences influenced the participants’ adult reading habits in particular ways. The results of the analysis supported prior research in the field about the influence of teachers and the importance of early literacy instruction, and highlighted in particular, the emotional impact of successes or perceived failure in learning to read.

Participants are encouraged to bring their computers to create a digital storybook with interactive elements. Attendees will participate in the creation of an adapted and squishy book to share in their classrooms, teacher preparation instruction or family workshops.

Following a growing concern among education stakeholders about the lack of a reading culture and low literacy levels among Rwandans in general and university students in particular, the aim of this thesis is to increase the awareness of Rwandans about the development of a reading culture and early literacy. To achieve this aim, four studies with participants representing different experiences related to reading culture were performed. These qualitative studies draw on different perspectives on the development of a reading culture and emergent literacy by using open-ended questionnaires and interviews. The thesis takes sociocultural and emergent literacy theories as points of departure. The first study investigates students’ reflections on their previous reading experiences, and discuss ways to develop literacy and a reading culture in Rwanda. The next one sheds light on parents’ involvement in literacy practices at home and the third study concerns what literacy knowledge teachers expect from their pupils when they start nursery and lower primary school. An example of a literacy event (storytelling) is given in the fourth study where children’s narratives of fairy tales are followed by their discussions on gender issues, which in turn can develop the children’s interest in reading. This can also help them relate texts to their life and teach them to think critically. In sum, the studies show that there is a limited reading culture in Rwanda. That is attributed to the colonial and post-colonial education system, reliance on verbal communication, limited access to reading materials, and ultimately the low status of the mother tongue Kinyarwanda within the sociolinguistic configuration of Rwanda. Also, the participating students and teachers point out the necessity of involving parents more in the creation of an environment that nurtures children’s emergent literacy development so that it becomes a shared responsibility translated into a teacherparent partnership for children’s success at school. Hence, the findings inform the use of this thesis which is to promote literacy and a reading culture in Rwanda by engaging the whole nation in a national effort to build a sustainable culture of reading. To paraphrase the old African saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’, I want to conclude by saying that it takes a nation to develop a culture of reading.

Children with cerebral palsy in South Africa may face various challenges in their acquisition of literacy. In order to address these, an understanding of the nature of these challenges can be seen as the first step. Successful acquisition of literacy is not only determined by formal instruction. Studies have found that the development of literacy skills appear to be related to supportive home literacy environments and experiences. Specific aspects of home literacy experiences have been found to predict later literacy and language skills. The aim of this research is to describe the home literacy experiences of Zulu children with cerebral palsy aged four to six years and their peers without disabilities living in KwaZulu-Natal. Caregivers of 10 children with cerebral palsy and caregivers of 10 children without disabilities, matched for age and gender, were selected from various preschools and schools within KwaZulu-Natal to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed based on a previous study and is based on five domains of home literacy experiences which include: (1) the child’s literacy experiences and interest, (2) materials and caregiver activities for child literacy development, (3) shared storybook reading, (4) caregiver’s own literacy materials and activities, and, (5) caregiver’s expectations of their child’s literacy development. The results obtained indicated that, in general, the home literacy experiences of the two groups did not differ for most of the home literacy experience aspects. Both groups of caregivers engaged in literacy mediating activities with their children. There were similar trends in the frequency that the child and the caregivers in both groups engaged in literacy practices, which shows that both groups of children had literate role models to demonstrate literacy experiences. Both groups had relatively high expectations of their children’s literacy development. Statistically significant differences were found between the two groups regarding the reported level of active involved in some of the activities engaged in during shared storybook reading and in children’s interest in literacy activities. Children with cerebral palsy were reportedly less actively involved during certain shared storybook reading activities and less interested in literacy activities. The study highlights the nature of the home literacy experiences and some of the areas that need consideration in the literacy development of children with cerebral palsy. Suggestions for future research are provided. / Mini Dissertation (M(AAC))--University of Pretoria, 2017. / National Research Foundation (NRF) / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) / M(AAC) / Unrestricted

From a sociocultural perspective, individuals learn best from contextualized experiences. In preservice teacher education, contextualized experiences include authentic literacy experiences, which include a real reader and writer and replicate real life communication. To be prepared to teach well, preservice teachers need to gain literacy content knowledge and possess reading maturity. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of authentic literacy experiences as Book Buddies with Hispanic fourth graders on preservice teachers’ literacy content knowledge and reading maturity. The study was a pretest/posttest design conducted over 12 weeks. Preservice teacher participants, the focus of the study, were elementary education majors taking the third of four required reading courses in non-probabilistic convenience groups, 43 (n = 33 experimental, n = 10 comparison) Elementary Education majors. The Survey of Preservice Teachers’ Knowledge of Teaching and Technology (SPTKTT), specifically designed for preservice teachers majoring in elementary or early childhood education and the Reading Maturity Survey (RMS) were used in this study. Preservice teachers chose either the experimental or comparison group based on the opportunity to earn extra credit points (experimental = 30 points, comparison = 15). After exchanging introductory letters preservice teachers and Hispanic fourth graders each read four books. After reading each book preservice teachers wrote letters to their student asking higher order thinking questions. Preservice teachers received scanned copies of their student’s unedited letters via email which enabled them to see their student’s authentic answers and writing levels. A series of analyses of covariance were used to determine whether there were significant differences in the dependent variables between the experimental and comparison groups. This quasi-experimental study tested two hypotheses. Using the appropriate pretest scores as covariates for adjusting the posttest means of the subcategory Literacy Content Knowledge (LCK), of the SPTKTT and the RMS, the mean adjusted posttest scores from the experimental group and comparison group were compared. No significant differences were found on the LCK dependent variable using the .05 level of significance, which may be due to Type II error caused by the small sample size. Significant differences were found on RMS using the .05 level of significance.

The low literacy levels achieved by deaf children are of ongoing concern to educators and researchers alike. The present research considered emergent literacy as one aspect to consider in the acquisition of literacy skills in deaf children. The aim of this research was to describe the home-based literacy experiences of severely to profoundly deaf pre-schoolers as provided by their hearing parents. Parents of twenty-nine pre-school deaf children from schools for the deaf were selected to complete a questionnaire. The questionnaire was developed based on the four identified literacy contexts: the physical and functional context, the language context, the affective context and the educational context. The results obtained indicate that the deaf children in this survey are exposed to literacy-rich home environments where they are able to observe literate adult role models. Limitations in the quantity and quality of text-based interaction between the deaf pre-schoolers, their hearing parents and older siblings were identified. The results also indicated that the parents who participated in this research regarded the development of language and communication as more important than the early acquisition of literacy skills. The parents assigned the greatest responsibility in teaching literacy skills to teachers. This study highlights the sensitive nature of early literacy and language learning in young deaf children. Suggestions for further research are presented. / Dissertation (M(Augmentative and Alternative Communication))--University of Pretoria, 2005. / Centre for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (CAAC) / unrestricted

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / Vanaf geboorte is die ouers en die omgewing wat hulle vir die kind skep van die uiterste belang. Ouers behoort 'n ruimte te skep waar die kind intellektueel gestimuleer kan word, begeleide leerervaringe kan ontvang en waar hy veiligheid en geborgenheid kan beleef Dit is in hierdie voorskoolse jare waar die grondslag gele word vir latere leer. Waar vroee stimulering en bemiddeling ontbreek is dit later baie moeilik om met insette dieselfde positiewe resultate te bereik. Begeleide leerervaringe is 'n essensiele komponent van en voorwaarde vir optimale ontwikkeling. Wanneer die kind aan geletterdheidervaringe blootgestel word in sy voorskoolse jare, kan hy, wanneer hy skool toe gaan, die insette en konsepte as "bekend" ervaar, omdat hy reeds vroeg al daarmee kennisgemaak het. Die ouers kan die kind se voorskoolse jare s6 ontwerp dat die kind se potensiaal optimaal verwesenlik kan word. In die empiriese ondersoek is onderhoude met ouers gevoer sodat hulle hul ervarings met hul kinders wat hulle voorskools gestimuleer het, kon weergee. Volgens die resultate blyk dit dat vroee stimulering waarskynlik 'n belangrike faktor is ten opsigte van latere prestasie. / Parents should create an atmosphere where the child can be stimulated intellectually, can receive mediated learning experiences (MLE) and where he can experience safety and security. It is in the preschool years that the foundation is laid to make learning easier later on. Where early stimulation and mediation is lacking it is very difficult later on to achieve positive results with the same inputs. When the child is exposed to literacy experiences in his pre-school years, he can experience the inputs and concepts as "known" when he attends school, as he was already acquainted with them. The parents can shape the pre-school years of the child in such a manner that the potential of the child can be realised optimally. In the empirical investigation parents were interviewed in order to determine the extent to which they supplied intellectual stimulation to their pre-school children. According to the results it appears that early stimulation is probably an important factor with regard to achievement in later years. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)

Summaries in Afrikaans and English / Text in Afrikaans / Vanaf geboorte is die ouers en die omgewing wat hulle vir die kind skep van die uiterste belang. Ouers behoort 'n ruimte te skep waar die kind intellektueel gestimuleer kan word, begeleide leerervaringe kan ontvang en waar hy veiligheid en geborgenheid kan beleef Dit is in hierdie voorskoolse jare waar die grondslag gele word vir latere leer. Waar vroee stimulering en bemiddeling ontbreek is dit later baie moeilik om met insette dieselfde positiewe resultate te bereik. Begeleide leerervaringe is 'n essensiele komponent van en voorwaarde vir optimale ontwikkeling. Wanneer die kind aan geletterdheidervaringe blootgestel word in sy voorskoolse jare, kan hy, wanneer hy skool toe gaan, die insette en konsepte as "bekend" ervaar, omdat hy reeds vroeg al daarmee kennisgemaak het. Die ouers kan die kind se voorskoolse jare s6 ontwerp dat die kind se potensiaal optimaal verwesenlik kan word. In die empiriese ondersoek is onderhoude met ouers gevoer sodat hulle hul ervarings met hul kinders wat hulle voorskools gestimuleer het, kon weergee. Volgens die resultate blyk dit dat vroee stimulering waarskynlik 'n belangrike faktor is ten opsigte van latere prestasie. / Parents should create an atmosphere where the child can be stimulated intellectually, can receive mediated learning experiences (MLE) and where he can experience safety and security. It is in the preschool years that the foundation is laid to make learning easier later on. Where early stimulation and mediation is lacking it is very difficult later on to achieve positive results with the same inputs. When the child is exposed to literacy experiences in his pre-school years, he can experience the inputs and concepts as "known" when he attends school, as he was already acquainted with them. The parents can shape the pre-school years of the child in such a manner that the potential of the child can be realised optimally. In the empirical investigation parents were interviewed in order to determine the extent to which they supplied intellectual stimulation to their pre-school children. According to the results it appears that early stimulation is probably an important factor with regard to achievement in later years. / Psychology of Education / M. Ed. (Psychology of Education)