Preschooler’s Perception about Reading: Is There a Correlation between Interest Level and Reading Concept Development Among Emergent Readers?

Abstract

This study was designed to examine preschoolers' interest levels in reading and their knowledge of basic reading concepts to determine if there is a statistically significant correlation between interest and concept development. In addition, preschoolers were asked twelve questions to determine their understanding of the reading process to see if any trends emerge such as age and sex. Forty preschoolers (20 male--20 female), ages 3 and 4, participated in this study. The subjects were selected from preschools across Monroe County in upper New York State. Data were collected from preschoolers' teachers and in 1:1 sessions with the preschoolers. The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The quantitative analysis revealed that there was a statistically significant positive correlation (p < .01) between interest levels and concept development in preschoolers. In addition, there were no gender differences found for either interest levels or concept development scores. However, the qualitative analysis revealed that male subjects demonstrated a better understanding of the reading process than female subjects. No significant differences in responses were found between the 3-and 4-year-old preschoolers.