Canadian Journal of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology

Promoting Early Literacy Skills: Effects of In-Service Education for Early Childhood Educators

 
Author(s) Heather Flowers
Luigi Girolametto
Elaine Weitzman
Janice Greenberg
Volume 31
Number 1
Year 2007
Page(s) 6-18
Language English
Category
Keywords child
care
children
early
literacy
interactive
book
reading
childhood
education
Abstract This study examined the effects of in-service education on educators’ use of story comprehension utterances, narrative models, and print/sound references during interactive book reading. Participants included sixteen early childhood educators with groups of four typically-developing children, aged 18 to 67 months. Eight educators in the experimental group were taught to engage in story-related discussion to promote children’s early literacy skills. At posttest, the experimental group significantly increased their use of abstract story comprehension utterances and narrative action utterances relative to the control group. In turn, children in the experimental group responded more frequently to Level 3 story comprehension utterances. At follow-up, the educators did not maintain their posttest changes. The results support the viability of this type of in-service education for early child care settings but suggest the need for more intensive training and support in order for educators to maintain their gains in the longer term.




Cette étude a examiné les effets de la formation des éducatrices en exercice sur leur utilisation d’énoncés de compréhension d’une histoire, de modèles de narration et de références imprimées ou sonores durant la lecture interactive d’un livre. Les participants comprennent seize éducatrices de la petite enfance avec des groupes de quatre enfants ayant un développement type, âgés entre 18 et 67 mois. On a enseigné à huit éducatrices du groupe expérimental à lancer une discussion liée à l’histoire pour favoriser l’acquisition de compétences en lecture et en écriture chez les enfants. Lors du test après la formation, le groupe expérimental a augmenté de manière significative son utilisation d’énoncés de compréhension abstraite d’une histoire abstraite par rapport au groupe de contrôle. Quant aux enfants du groupe expérimental, ils ont réagi plus fréquemment aux énoncés de compréhension de niveau 3. Lors du suivi, les éducatrices n’ont pas conservé les changements après leur formation. Les résultats indiquent la viabilité de ce type de formation en exercice dans les milieux de la petite enfance, mais montrent aussi la nécessité d’offrir une formation plus intensive et un soutien pour que les éducatrices conservent leurs gains à long terme.
Record ID 938
Link https://cjslpa.ca/files/2007_CJSLPA_Vol_31/No_01_1-69/Flowers_CJSLPA_2007.pdf
 

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