Early literacy programme as support for immigrant children and as transfer to early numeracy

ABSTRACT

We researched the efficacy of an early literacy programme in enhancing immigrant children’s phonological awareness (PA) and print knowledge, including transferring learning to numeracy. Participants were 294 Ethiopian-born immigrant children in Israel at kindergarten age and one of their parents. Parent–child dyads were randomly selected to receive an intervention computer program focused on PA and print knowledge (letter names, letter–sound connections, and print knowledge) or a control computer program focused on general cognitive abilities (spatial perception, eye–hand coordination) and language skills (e.g. colours). Following the activity, greater improvement was found in PA, print knowledge, and numeracy in the intervention group compared to the control group. The intervention had a unique contribution to children’s progress in the three variables, with no contribution for child’s background. Furthermore, PA progress in the intervention group contributed significantly to children’s numeracy beyond the intervention’s contribution. Implications for education and future studies are discussed.

KEYWORDS:

• Phonological awareness
• print knowledge
• early literacy
• early numeracy
• immigrant children

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Professor Ofra Korat Heads the Harris Program for Babies, Infants and their Families at the Bar-Ilan University School of Education, and was the head of the Graduate Program for Early Childhood at this school. Her research focuses on early language and literacy development and enhancement in families and educational settings, with special attention to the role of parents and educators as facilitators.

Dr Aviva Gitait received her PhD in School of Education from Bar-Ilan University. She currently is the educational projects manager of Compedia Company.

Dr Deborah Bergman Deitcher is a graduate of the CUNY doctoral program in Educational Psychology - Learning, Development, and Instruction. Her research focuses on early language and literacy development, particularly book genres and shared book reading. She currently lectures at Seminar Hakibbutzim College and Tel Aviv University.

Professor Zmira R. Mevarech is a full professor of education. She served as the Chief Scientist of the Ministry of Education, head of the School of Education, vice rector and Dean of social studies at Bar-Ilan University. At present she is the President of David Yellin Academic College of Education.

Notes

1 The study was funded by the Jewish Distribution Committee (JDC), which expected more children and parents to be included in the experimental group than in the control, hence the uneven groups.