The interaction patterns of 4 parent readers and 4 senior readers were investigated using grounded theory methodology during an intergenerational shared book reading activity with 16, 5 and 6 year olds. Parent and senior volunteers were observed during one on one reading with two different children who were divided up by gender using stratified random assignment to read with either a parent aged reader or a senior reader. To capture authentic interactions between the volunteer readers and children no preliminary training took place. Data were collected during pilot, pre-program, program, and post-program conditions. Open coding using a constant comparison method was used to establish patterns across conditions in the early phases of data collection. During open coding provisional categories were identified. Data from video observations, parent journals and interviews were then interpreted using axial coding methods to analyze the context, conditions and action/interaction strategies that were present and to determine connections between categories. From this information, broad categories were recombined based on trends and the observed antecedent and situational features. Selective coding was then used to test the provisional phenomenon. This was done using coding to identify any changes that took place between volunteer readers and each of the two children that he or she read with. The central phenomenon of scaffolding was identified across intervening conditions. The phenomenon of scaffolding was defined as a query and response pattern initiated by the adult, and used to direct the child's focus of attention during the literacy act. This took place as part of a transactional process where the elements of (a) the book being read, (b) the child and (c) the volunteer reader mutually conditioned and were conditioned by the other elements. The qualities that the reader brought to the transaction tended to differ when comparing senior and parent readers. The main differences observed occurred in three clusters of (a) Timing, Responsiveness, and Pace, (b) Use of Expression, Colloquialisms, Articulation and (c) Gestures, Feedback Methods and Range of Strategies. The pace of the senior readers was found to be slower than that of the parent aged readers. The senior readers also tended to make use of distinct pronunciation and did not use colloquialisms. They were also more inclined to use a wider range of supportive strategies. Both the senior readers and the parent readers were unaware of most of the strategies that they used to support the children. Further research on the question of the transactional process and the qualities brought to the shared reading experience by senior volunteer readers is required. Replication of the present study is suggested across a variety of conditions with different types volunteer readers and children. / Graduate

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of parent or caregiver shared-reading interventions on Hispanic prekindergarten students’ language and literacy scores. In addition, this study investigated the effects of shared reading interventions on Spanish-speaking parents’ home literacy behaviors with their children. Teacher perceptions regarding the effectiveness of the intervention were also examined. The present mixed-methods study was similar to research conducted by Jiménez, Fillipini, & Gerber (2006) and Whitehurst, Falco, Lonigan, Fischel, DeBaryshe, Valdez- Manchaca, & Caulfield (1988) in that shared reading strategies were conducted with parents or caregivers and their children. Differing from previous research, the current study utilized an experimental pretest-posttest control group design, sessions were conducted over a 20-week period, students’ language and literacy scores were examined in both English and Spanish, and Hispanic preschool children and their parents or caregivers served as participants. Statistically significant results were found in students’ oral language scores in English and Spanish. The treatment group scored higher in both languages. Statistically significant results were also found in several aspects of parent or caregiver home literacy behaviors. Parents or caregivers in the treatment group reported reading more to their children in both English and Spanish. The treatment group also reported reading with greater frequency and for greater periods of time with their children. Additionally, children in the treatment group asked to be read to more often and possessed a greater enjoyment for being read to during sessions. Finally, parents or caregivers in the treatment group indicated that they held a greater enjoyment for reading, at the end of the intervention. Teachers in the study perceived the program to be a success and attributed positive changes within the parents or caregivers and children to the intervention.

A six week parent-child shared reading intervention targeting children's emergent literacy and emotion knowledge was implemented for 33 Head Start home-based families. This pilot study tested the hypothesis that the nominal addition of social emotional components to an evidenced-based shared reading intervention (dialogic reading) would result in additive effects in regards to parent and child outcomes. The study utilized a pre-post test design involving random assignment of families to one of two treatment groups. Both groups received the standard dialogic reading intervention, while parents in the DR ES (dialogic reading plus emotion skills) received an additional nominal dose of training in how to be nurturing towards their child during reading and how to use the story as a catalyst to talking about emotions. Differential effects between the two interventions were not found. Specifically, no clinically significant group effects were found for children's print concepts knowledge and emotion knowledge (emotion labeling and perspective taking) at post-test. Similarly, no effects emerged for parents' reading related behaviors, namely, application of verbal prompts, and displayed warmth. Effect sizes, as measured by eta squared, were also consistently low for all dependent measures, ranging from .00 for children's perspective taking and parents' displayed warmth to .03 for parent verbal prompts. Significant time effects emerged for all outcome variables with the exception of parent warmth, with effect sizes ranging from d = 0.31 (parent warmth) to d = 1.31 (parents' dialogic reading prompts), with an average effect size of d = 0.61. This study is the first to explore the potential impact of combining emotional content into the dialogic reading intervention. It refocuses attention on the contexts that promote children's school readiness skills. Results suggest that the potential benefits of dialogic reading extend beyond parent and children reading related skills, and may include children's emotional development. Findings warrant further investigation of interventions that support parents in maximizing the benefits of shared reading.

No description available.

Enligt olika mätningar sjunker andelen barn och unga som läser skönlitteratur för sitt eget nöjes skull. Det har lett till en utbredd oro i samhället, eftersom en väl utvecklad läsförmåga anses vara en förutsättning för att fullt ut delta i det demokratiska samhället. Läsning antas även ha djupgående effekter på människors förmåga till tänkande, inlevelse och empati. En konsekvens av denna oro är att vuxenvärlden genom olika insatser försöker öka intresset för läsning hos barn och unga, medan målgruppens eget perspektiv på läsning lyser med sin frånvaro. När barn och unga faktiskt tillfrågas tycks dock kroppsliga och rumsliga aspekter spela en viktig roll för en positiv läsupplevelse. Bokcirkeln är en relativt vanlig läsfrämjande aktivitet på folkbiblioteken. Den brittiska metoden Shared Reading liknar bokcirkeln, med den stora skillnaden att all läsning sker tillsammans i gruppen genom högläsning. Intresset för Shared Reading är på uppgång i Sverige. Tidigare forskning visar att kroppsliga och rumsliga aspekter bidrar till deltagarnas positiva upplevelse av Shared Reading. Dock har ytterst få studier gjorts med barn och unga.

The purpose of this position paper is to propose a comprehensive theoretical model of what can and does occur in the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) to extend thinking, learning and construction of meaning within a shared reading activity setting, including the development and emergence of language, literacy and social skills. By incorporating Lev Vygotsky's sociocultural perspective, Jean Piaget's dialectical learning, and the concepts of metacognition, mindfulness, and mind-mindedness, a model depicting the dynamics of a shared reading activity is proposed. Implications for research and practice are discussed, including suggestions for future research and ways to foster effective teaching practices. / Master of Science

Introduction: The first aim of this study is to gain more knowledge about why public libraries choose to organize reading groups for adults. The second aim is to shed light on the possible transformative potential of public libraries’reading groups for adults. Method: Semi-structured interviews with six librarians at Bibliotek Uppsala were conducted. Three of the librarians had an overall responsibility for the reading group activities within the organization. The other three librarians led reading groups themselves. The interviews were recorded and transcribed. Analysis: A thematic content analysis was conducted to interpret the transcripts of the interviews.  Results: The librarians’ thoughts regarding what participants can gain from reading groups were categorized within the following themes: They can inspire more or more extensive reading, they can promote democracy and participation, they can encourage people to meet and fulfill an important social function, they can promote health, personal growth, and can give the participants new perspectives. This is largely consistent with previous studies reagarding what participants themselves state reading groups contribute to their lives. The result further shows that there are many favorable conditions for transformative learning within the library’s reading groups. Conclusion: The librarians see that the reading groups can fulfill more functions than promoting reading. Among other things, they point out that the reading groups, for several different reasons, are in line with the library’s democratic mission. Based on the theory of transformative learning, it is possible to see the potential of reading grups to promote critical reflection. According to the theory of transformative learning, it is believed that it is of the utmost importance that citizens of democratic societies develop their critical thinking. Thus, reading groups that develop the participants' ability to reflect could therefore also be justified on the basis of the library's democracy mission.   This is a two years master’s thesis in Library and Information Science.

Thesis (M Speech Path)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigated the effect of two shared-reading intervention programmes on the narratives of 87 Afrikaans-speaking Grade R learners from low income families. Intervention Programme I involved an interactive style where participants were encouraged to engage spontaneously in conversations about the characters’ intentions and goals, to make inferences and to ask questions. Intervention Programme II focused on observable entities and the content of the storybooks. Participants’ narratives were compared before and after intervention in terms of productivity, content and structure. Results indicated that (i) both methods of shared-reading improved the participants’ narratives in terms of productivity, number of different words, and the efficiency of references; (ii) only Intervention Programme I improved the participants’ narratives in terms of the percentage meta-verbs, number of key elements and Goal-Attempt-Outcome sequences included. Clinical implications and recommendations for future research are discussed. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie het die effek van twee gedeelde-leesintervensieprogramme op die narratiewe van 87 Afrikaanssprekende Graad R-leerders vanuit lae-inkomstegesinne ondersoek. Intervensieprogram I het ‘n interaktiewe styl behels, waartydens deelnemers aangemoedig is om spontaan aan gesprekke deel te neem oor die karakters se motiverings en doelwitte, afleidings oor die stories te maak en vrae te vra. Intervensieprogram II het op die waarneembare feite en inhoud van die storieboeke gefokus. Deelnemers se narratiewe is voor en na afloop van die intervensie ten opsigte van produktiwiteit, inhoud en struktuur vergelyk. Resultate het aangedui dat (i) beide metodes van gedeelde-lees die deelnemers se narratiewe ten opsigte van produktiwiteit, totale aantal verskillende woorde, en doeltreffendheid van verwysings verbeter het; (ii) slegs Intervensieprogram I daarin geslaag het om deelnemers se insluiting van die persentasie meta-werkwoorde, aantal sleutelelemente en Doel-Poging-Uitkomsreekse in hul narratiewe te verbeter. Kliniese implikasies en aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing word bespreek.

The purpose of this essay is to investigate how Shared Reading facilitators consider the method to function as a reader development strategy. What purpose does Shared Reading serve for the participants according to the facilitators? Does Shared Reading affect the participants’ interest in literature? What social functions does Shared Reading serve for the participants? How does the facilitator regard his/her own role in reader development? To answer these questions six facilitators have been interviewed, four of them with leading roles in projects with a purpose of spreading Shared Reading as a reader development strategy in Sweden. The results are analyzed using Louise M. Rosenblatt’s reception theory. The results show that Shared Reading influences the participants’ reading habits, that Shared Reading can have an important social function for individuals living in social exclusion and that there is an interest in working with the method from several organizations in Sweden.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of parent training on shared reading practices in families of children with hearing loss. This intervention augmented a multifaceted school program in emergent literacy. In a community based format, parents were explicitly taught three shared reading strategies that have evidence to support the growth of language and vocabulary in children who are hearing and children with hearing loss. These strategies include open-ended questions, language expansions, and scaffolding. A multiple-baseline across content (strategies) design examined the relationship between the intervention and changes in parent behavior. Results indicated that the intervention was effective for increasing open-ended questioning, but there was no functional relationship between the intervention and the other two strategies, language expansions and scaffolding. Conclusions suggest replication to determine the effectiveness of this intervention for increasing open-ended questions. Additionally, further research is needed to determine the intensity and duration of training to influence effects on language expansions and scaffolding.