Intergenerational Interactions Occurring Within a Shared Reading Program

Abstract

In the following exploratory study the interaction patterns of 4 parent readers and 4 senior readers were investigated using grounded theory methodology during an intergenerational shared book reading program involving 16, 5 and 6 year old children.¹ Data were collected during pilot, pre-program, program, and post-program conditions using open, axial and selective coding procedures leading to the identification of provisional categories and the central phenomenon of scaffolding. Scaffolding was defined as a query and response pattern initiated by the adult, and used to direct the child's focus of attention during the literacy act. This took place as part of a transactional process where the elements of (a) the book being read, (b) the child and (c) the volunteer reader were found to mutually condition each other. The qualities that the reader brought to the transaction tended to differ when comparing senior and parent readers. The main differences observed occurred in three clusters of (a) Timing, Responsiveness, and Pace, (b) Use of Expression, Colloquialisms, Articulationand (c) Gestures, Feedback Methodsand Range of Strategies. Within these categories, the pace of the senior readers was found to be slower than that of the parent aged readers. The senior readers also tended to use distinct pronunciation and did not use colloquialisms. They were also more inclined to use a wider range of supportive strategies. Both the senior readers and the parent readers were unaware of most of the strategies that they used to support the children. Further research on the question of the transactional process and the qualities brought to the shared reading experience by senior volunteer readers is required. Replication of the present study is suggested across a variety of conditions with different types volunteer readers and children.

Key Words:

• Parent volunteer readers
• senior volunteer readers
• scaffolding
• transactional reading process