Leiden University Student Repository

Kerdijk, Marit (2023)

De rol van executieve functies en interactief voorlezen van digitale prentenboeken op de ontwikkeling van woordenschat en printkennis

Master thesis | Education and Child Studies (MSc)

Children with problems in the development of early literacy are at risk for reading difficulties in later life. Weak executive functioning might contribute to this. Therefore, fostering early literacy skills is of great importance. Digital books and interactive reading may support this development. The current study examines the impact of reading digital storybooks in a classroom setting using the interactive reading program e-Prent&ABC. This program involves reading techniques such as semantic consolidation and print referencing to stimulate early literacy skills, including vocabulary and print knowledge. The relationship between these components of early literacy and executive functions such as working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control is also explored. Based on previous research, it is hypothesized that reading using print referencing would result in more growth in vocabulary and print knowledge than reading through semantic consolidation. Additionally, it is...Show moreChildren with problems in the development of early literacy are at risk for reading difficulties in later life. Weak executive functioning might contribute to this. Therefore, fostering early literacy skills is of great importance. Digital books and interactive reading may support this development. The current study examines the impact of reading digital storybooks in a classroom setting using the interactive reading program e-Prent&ABC. This program involves reading techniques such as semantic consolidation and print referencing to stimulate early literacy skills, including vocabulary and print knowledge. The relationship between these components of early literacy and executive functions such as working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control is also explored. Based on previous research, it is hypothesized that reading using print referencing would result in more growth in vocabulary and print knowledge than reading through semantic consolidation. Additionally, it is hypothesized that working memory and cognitive flexibility would mainly contribute to growth in vocabulary, while inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility would contribute to growth in print knowledge. This within-subject design study used a sample of 85 children (41 girls, M = 63 months, SD = 6.1 months). Various questionnaires were employed to measure book-related vocabulary, print knowledge, visual working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility. The results show that print referencing does not lead to more growth in vocabulary than semantic consolidation, but it does in print knowledge, which implies that interactive reading is beneficial for the development of early literacy. Furthermore, it appears that visual working memory, cognitive flexibility and inhibitory control are not significant predictors of vocabulary and print knowledge, meaning e-Prent&ABC might compensate for the negative effects of lower levels of executive functioning. This study contributes to the advancement of inclusive education for children with diverse learning needs, levels of literacy and executive functioning.Show less

digital storybooks

early literacy

print referencing

executive functioning

Author

Kerdijk, Marit

Faculty

Faculty of Social & Behavioural Sciences

Specialisation

Digital Media in Human Development

Supervisors

Dijken, M. van

ECTS Credits

20

Language

nl