Home and Instruction Effects on Emergent Literacy in a Sample of Chilean Kindergarten Children

Abstract

The study examines the home literacy experiences, emergent literacy skills, and instructional experiences of a sample of Chilean kindergarten children (n = 126) and kindergarten families (n = 188) nested in 12 kindergarten classrooms from different socioeconomic status groups and types of schools. Descriptive information is given showing the level of literacy knowledge of the children and the literacy experiences that they encounter both at home and in the classroom. Multiple regression is used to test the effect of home and instruction variables on emergent literacy learning in kindergarten and later in first grade. Findings show that Chilean children in the sample are exposed to less literacy experiences than children in developed countries, at home and at school. Results also show that, in spite of little explicit code instruction going on in classrooms, this measure had a positive significant effect on literacy growth in kindergarten. Results are compared with those of developed countries, especially the United States.

Notes

¹Some exceptions exist, for instance, Leseman and de Jong (1998) and Sénéchal (2006).

^aAccording to the Ministry of Education SES categories.

^bEach school compared with the average of their SES group.

²School year in Chile begins in March and ends in December. Fall evaluations (beginning of kindergarten) were administered during April, and spring evaluations (end of kindergarten) in the last half of November and first half of December.

^a n = 49.

^b n = 77.

^c n = 126.

^a n = 80.

^b n = 108.

^c n = 188.

*p < .05.

**p < .01.

*p < .05.

**p < .01.

*p < .05.

**p < .01.

³Kindergarten teachers in Chile are not primary teachers but early childhood educators (Educadoras de Párvulos).