Kindergartners' visual attention during storybook reading and subsequent vocabulary learning

Children’s visual attention during storybook reading and their resulting vocabulary learning were examined. Participants were 21 Dutch kindergartners with an average to large general receptive vocabulary. Eye-tracking was used to assess visual attention within the illustrations during storybook readings in which text and illustrations were presented either simultaneously or successively. Irrespective of mode of presentation, the children appeared to follow the oral text when visually inspecting the illustration. During simultaneous readings participants, especially the ones with lower inhibitory control skills, looked longer at the parts of the illustration that were highlighted by the text than at the rest of the illustration. In contrast, during non-simultaneous readings they looked as long at the text-relevant as at the text-irrelevant parts or even longer at the text-irrelevant parts. Children’s visual attention was positively related to their vocabulary learning when the...Show moreChildren’s visual attention during storybook reading and their resulting vocabulary learning were examined. Participants were 21 Dutch kindergartners with an average to large general receptive vocabulary. Eye-tracking was used to assess visual attention within the illustrations during storybook readings in which text and illustrations were presented either simultaneously or successively. Irrespective of mode of presentation, the children appeared to follow the oral text when visually inspecting the illustration. During simultaneous readings participants, especially the ones with lower inhibitory control skills, looked longer at the parts of the illustration that were highlighted by the text than at the rest of the illustration. In contrast, during non-simultaneous readings they looked as long at the text-relevant as at the text-irrelevant parts or even longer at the text-irrelevant parts. Children’s visual attention was positively related to their vocabulary learning when the illustrations and the oral text were available at the same time. A positive effect of the book readings was found on word learning from the books as compared to a control condition. However, no differences in vocabulary learning between simultaneous and non-simultaneous readings were found. In terms of attention, displaying storybook illustrations on the whiteboard, visible to all children, during classroom reading activities might be beneficial for all children, but especially for those with lower inhibitory control skills. For them, displaying the illustrations in a large format while they listen to the narration will guide them in focusing their attention and resisting distracters within the storybook illustrations.Show less

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Kindergartners' visual attention during storybook reading and subsequent vocabulary learning