Accounting for differences in literacy ability among children entering kindergarten.

Abstract

This capstone project explores the question of factors that may account for variance in literacy ability among children entering Kindergarten. This researcher has personal interest in this topic because of her own experience as a Kindergarten teacher. The most appropriate way to address this research question is with an exhaustive literature review and research synthesis. The synthesis produced five findings. First is that participation in a structured, formal preschool has a positive impact on the literacy development and school readiness of all children, regardless of their diversity or non-diversity, or socioeconomic status (SES). Second, the quality and type of instruction a child receives in preschool has an impact on that child’s literacy growth, and third, the impact from attending preschool is not directly influenced by a child’s SES or demographics. Fourth is that home literacy experiences have a greater impact on literacy development than SES regardless of the SES level. Fifth is that SES levels are factors in language and literacy development only indirectly because they can impact family stress, a mother’s well-being, and size and number of literacy activities in the home; low socioeconomic status and a mother’s level of education do not automatically mean poor literacy development, neither do they hinder literacy development when there is rich home literacy environment. The application of this new knowledge will result in professional development for Kindergarten and grade one teachers, and will take the form of a video accessible for free on YouTube and Teacher Tube.