Home influence on kindergarten reading

To determine what factors in the preschool home environment relate to early reading, 27 entering kindergartners, reading at or above the first grade level, and 64 nonreaders, were identified by kindergarten teachers in a geographically diverse county school system containing both rural and urban elements. Demographic, socioeconomic status (SES), intelligence (IQ), readiness, and reading data was obtained. The Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of intelligence, the Brigance K and I Screen, and the Standardized Reading Inventory were used. Parents were individually interviewed using the Preschool Reading Environment Scale (PRES), an instrument designed to measure environmental stimulation in the home. Tested hypotheses were as follows:

1. There is a significant difference between the measured intelligence (IQ) of readers and nonreaders.

2. There is a significant difference between the reported socioeconomic status (SES) of readers and nonreaders.

3. There is a significant difference between the total home environment scores (PRES) of readers and nonreaders. While intelligence and home environment questionnaire scores were normally distributed, socioeconomic status scores were skewed. Hypotheses one and three were supported. Analysis of variance found that no single variable explained or predicted reading, but roughly 16% of the variance in IQ scores could be attributed to whether a subject was classified as a reader. Additionally about 6% of the variance in the PRES scores could be attributed to whether a subject was classified as a reader. Using confirmatory factor analytic techniques, the PRES was found to consist of four factors identified as parent expectations, parent modeling, parent provision, and parent activity. Only parent activity, what the parent does with the child, was found to correlate significantly (p<.0214) with reading ability. Further analysis determined some nonlinear relationships between SES, IQ, and reading. Other results were significant correlations between PRES factors and 10, and PRES factors and SES. This study has theoretical significance for reading and learning theory as well as practical implications for parent education, early childhood education and intervention. Applications of this study's findings could potentially be used to promote learning, facilitate the remediation of reading problems, and help parents provide the most effective learning environment for their children.