Preschool children and teachers talking together: The influence of child, family, teacher, and classroom characteristics on children's developing literacy.

Abstract

This study explored the effect of cultural-linguistic diversity---use of African American English (AAE), Standard American English (SAE) or English as a second language (ESL)---and classroom discourse incorporating teacher requests on preschoolers' (n = 105) oral language and literacy development. Ten preschool classrooms for children at-risk for underachievement participated and home observations were completed. The findings supported previous research findings. Overall, children achieved greater growth in language/literacy in classrooms where teachers used more wh-questions and fewer imperatives. Even simple forms of wh-questions, such as what is that? elicited richer and more cognitively challenging teacher-child interactions than did their yes-no and imperative counterparts. Further, there were significant differences in the growth of children's oral language and early literacy; children in the SAE group achieved significantly higher scores than did children in the AAE and ESL groups. The findings also expanded upon previous preschool research. The influence of the preschool discourse environment on preschoolers' language/literacy growth appeared to depend on important individual child characteristics---in this study, children's cultural-linguistic system. ESL children tended to achieve stronger language/literacy growth in classrooms where there were more opportunities for scripted and predictable teacher-child interactions during whole class activities. In contrast, SAE and AAE children achieved greater language/literacy growth in classrooms that were more interactive and less scripted. SAE children achieved language/literacy growth almost regardless of classroom discourse environment. The differing outcomes resulting from participation in particular classroom discourse environments appeared related to the implicit goals of children's preschool experience---to master English, to develop literacy skills, and to learn school ways of talking---as well as to the match between their home discourse environment and their classroom discourse environment. Children in the SAE and ESL groups participated in home discourse environments that were more similar to the observed classrooms. Cultural-linguistic rather than racial grouping appeared to more clearly represent children's similarities and differences. Although more research is needed, these findings suggest that designing balanced instruction, providing rich but varying preschool discourse environments, coupled with sensitivity to children's cultural-linguistic heritage and other individual characteristics, will be important in promoting literacy for all preschoolers at risk for underachievement.