The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an interactive digital reading program (ePrent&ABC) on different domains, vocabulary and print knowledge (PK), of the early literacy....Show moreThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an interactive digital reading program (ePrent&ABC) on different domains, vocabulary and print knowledge (PK), of the early literacy. This study also examined whether visual working memory plays a role in the growth of vocabulary and PK. For this study participated 85 children between the ages 50-75 months (M = 63.08, SD = 6.07) old. The sample consisted of 44 girls and 41 boys. During four different conditions a kindergarten teacher read to the class four times a week based on a protocol and using the SMART board. The first week (condition A) the teacher did non-interactive reading. The other weeks of the study teachers used the ePrent&ABC program with every week another consolidation form for learning target words (condition B: semantics, condition C: PK and condition D: phonological awareness), except condition C, which was two weeks. Pretests and posttests were administered on target words, PK, and phonological awareness. Tests were also administered for general vocabulary and executive functions. This study focused in particular on the consolidation form of PK. During this consolidation form, teachers used non-verbal and verbal cues to draw the children’s attention to the text of the book. This study shows that children acquire more vocabulary and PK during ePrent&ABC than during non-interactive reading. In addition, a large effect (r = .67) was found of the growth in PK during the consolidation form PK. The consolidation form PK has a positive effect on multiple domains of the early literacy. This study shows also that visual working memory does not play a role in the growth of vocabulary and PK. EPrent&ABC offers teachers the opportunity to stimulate early literacy in preschoolers based on an evidence-based foundation with an interactive classroom method that considers both technical developments and the interests of preschoolers.Show less
Temperament of children is often associated with the degree of parental sensitivity, yet there is little consensus on whether the relationship exists. This study investigates whether there is a...Show moreTemperament of children is often associated with the degree of parental sensitivity, yet there is little consensus on whether the relationship exists. This study investigates whether there is a relationship between the temperament of children aged 3 to 5 years old and parental sensitivity. Next the study focused on whether this relationship is mediated by the mental well-being of parents and challenging behavior of children. The analyses utilized data from 21 parent-child pairs who participated in the study 'Parenting – how to measure?' at Leiden University. Temperament and mental well-being were measured using standardized questionnaires (CBQ and CES-D). Parental sensitivity and challenging behaviors were observed and coded by the researchers. The results indicate that there is no significant relationship between the child's temperament and parental sensitivity. Additionally, no mediation effects were found for the mental well-being of parents and the challenging behavior of children on the relationship between temperament and sensitivity. Some indications were found that the relationship between temperament dimension activity and sensitivity may exist as well as a relationship between mental well-being and parental sensitivity. The findings of this study should be interpreted with caution, particularly due to the small sample size. It is recommended to design a larger study with more participants focusing on the relationships between the activity temperament dimension and the relationship with parental sensitivity, as well as the relationship between mental well-being and parental sensitivity, given the indications found in this study.Show less
Declining reading skills among Dutch schoolchildren have been visible for a number of years, and the gap between strong and weak readers continues to increase. To identify ways to reduce this gap,...Show moreDeclining reading skills among Dutch schoolchildren have been visible for a number of years, and the gap between strong and weak readers continues to increase. To identify ways to reduce this gap, this study examines what support can be offered to weak readers in addition to regular reading lessons at school. It consists of a between-subject design with two interventions and a control group. The first intervention type (UIL) provided students with explicit reading instructions. The second intervention type (RA) mainly involved reading along with the student, similar to what parents do who read along with children at school. The interventions were given online through Microsoft Teams or Zoom. The effect of the interventions on improving students’ reading skills was examined for three dependent variables: word reading, silent reading and reading aloud. A significant effect was found only for word reading, with students in both the UIL and RA condition performing, on average, significantly better than students in the control condition and with students in the UIL condition performing, on average, significantly better than students in the RA condition. The study concludes that both intervention types did not have the desired effect on improving students’ reading skills as a whole, only on word reading. Further research should examine whether the online format or duration of the study could explain these results.Show less
This thesis describes an experimental study with a between-subjects and within-subjects design on the possibility to train inferential skills by using expository video. Over the past years the...Show moreThis thesis describes an experimental study with a between-subjects and within-subjects design on the possibility to train inferential skills by using expository video. Over the past years the level of reading comprehension among Dutch students decreases. A low motivation may perhaps explain this downward trend. One way to increase the motivation of Dutch students could be by using digital resources. Inferential skills are crucial during reading to create a mental representation of the text. This is an important part of reading comprehension. This research focusses on the progression in inferential skills of students, when these skills are taught using expository video. The progression made is compared to the progression in inferential skills of students who were taught inferential skills using expository text, and students in the control condition. Furthermore, the relation between this progression and the level of reading fluency was studied. Participants were 105 Dutch student (age 8 to 11 years) in grade six from four different primary schools. They were randomly assigned to one of the conditions, namely video condition, text condition and control condition, where they received either eight trainings with expository video or text, or no training at all. The inferential skills of all participants were tested using a pretest and a posttest, before and after the training was given. Results show that the training, either with expository video or text, is not effective in teaching inferential skills to Dutch students in grade six. In addition was the level of reading fluency not related to the effectivity of the training with expository video or text.Show less
Previous studies suggest that positive teacher-student relationships improve school results, increase teacher and student wellbeing, and decrease disruptive student behaviour. However, many...Show morePrevious studies suggest that positive teacher-student relationships improve school results, increase teacher and student wellbeing, and decrease disruptive student behaviour. However, many teachers struggle to establish a positive teacher-student relationship, because they feel incompetent concerning disruptive student behaviour. One approach to manage feelings of incompetence is social perspective taking: the process of discerning the thoughts, feelings, and motivations of others. The role of teachers’ self-efficacy concerning the relationship between social perspective taking and the teacher-student relationship is still unknown. Therefore, this mixed methods correlational study used a questionnaire to examine whether teachers’ self-efficacy mediates social perspective taking and the teacher-student relationship. The sample consisted of 130 Dutch primary school teachers. Results showed a significant relationship for articulation between social perspective taking and the teacher-student relationship (β = 0.22; t(112) = 2.19; p < 0.001). The result for positioning was not significant (β = - 0.12; t(112) = 1.21; p = 0.23). Moreover, results showed a strong significant relationship between teachers’ self-efficacy and the student-teacher relationship (β = 0.42; t(112) = 5.01; p < 0.001). Finally, teachers’ self-efficacy did not mediate this association. These findings suggest no indirect relation between social perspective taking and the teacher-student relationship through teachers’ self-efficacy. However, these findings emphasize the importance of supportive relationships between teachers and their students.Show less
Proficient reading competencies are considered one of the most important basic skills for functioning in society. Unfortunately, research has shown that the reading skills of Dutch students have...Show moreProficient reading competencies are considered one of the most important basic skills for functioning in society. Unfortunately, research has shown that the reading skills of Dutch students have significantly declined in recent years, and reading motivation also deteriorated sharply. To reduce current reading deficits and stimulate reading motivation, additional measures are necessary, such as providing effective, targeted, and intensive individual guidance. Therefore, this study investigated whether a tutor reading intervention with guided reading or rather a tutor intervention based on explicit direct instruction, the UIL, is most effective for improving the technical reading skills of students with reading deficits. The study was conducted based on data from 50 students in grades 6 and 7 with reading deficits. The students, all from regular education, were randomly assigned to the guided reading group, the UIL group or the control group. The intervention consisted of eight online tutor reading lessons. To assess the growth in students' reading skills, a pre- and posttest was conducted using CBM Word Reading as the measurement instrument. The repeated measures ANOVA’s revealed that both tutor reading interventions are effective in stimulating the technical reading skills of students with reading problems in grades 6 and 7. The students who received explicit direct instruction had slightly more growth than the students with the guided reading method, however this difference was not significant. Further research with a larger sample size is required to determine whether the guided reading method and the UIL actually differ significantly in effectiveness or not. Based on the current research, it was concluded that both tutor reading interventions can be utilized within education to effectively support students with reading deficits in their development into independent readers.Show less
This study extends the current research landscape concerning the complex interrelation of culture, socio-economic status, and gender with children's internalizing problems by researching if and how...Show moreThis study extends the current research landscape concerning the complex interrelation of culture, socio-economic status, and gender with children's internalizing problems by researching if and how these factors contribute to internalizing problems in Dutch and Indian children. Indian and Dutch children aged 10-13 years old were interviewed using the Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) and filled out a questionnaire of the Family Affluence Scale (FAS) and Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS). Statistically significant differences were observed in internalizing problems between Dutch and Indian children based on cultural origin and socioeconomic status. Indian children exhibited higher levels of internalizing problems compared to Dutch children, while Dutch children generally came from families with higher socioeconomic status than Indian children. Over the whole sample girls were found to have a higher score for internalizing problems than boys, however the observed difference was not significant. Altogether cultural origin, socio-economic status, and gender explained a significant proportion of the variance in internalizing problems for the whole sample. Regarding children’s experience and perception participants revealed to deal with anxiety by talking about it to loved ones. Boys’ fears were centered around their own performance and well-being, while girls primarily expressed concerns related to the safety and well-being of their loved ones. Experiences specific to socio-economic status did not become apparent. Despite the acknowledged limitations, this study contributes to a broader comprehension of the intricate relationship among cultural origin, gender, socio-economic status, and internalizing problems.Show less
Reading comprehension is a vital skill. It is important for a reader to make inferences between story elements while integrating background information. In addition, it is important that the reader...Show moreReading comprehension is a vital skill. It is important for a reader to make inferences between story elements while integrating background information. In addition, it is important that the reader can apply metacognition in which the reader monitors and regulates his/her own understanding about the text. These cognitive processes ensure that the reader forms and maintains a coherent mental representation about the story and these processes may be similar across different media. Research results from PISA shows a decrease in grades for reading comprehension, reading enjoyment, and competence perception among Dutch 15-year-old students. Following these results and the possible relationship between comprehension skills across different media, such as written text, auditory and visual presentations, this study has been conducted. This study investigated whether the narrative comprehension differed between these media and if the application of story-based and knowledge-based inferences, and metacognition to a story affects narrative comprehension in 8-12 year old children. Three stories in written text, auditory, and visual presentation modes, comprehension questions about these stories, and the think-aloud protocol were used. Narrative comprehension was measured using comprehension questions. Using the think aloud protocol, the relationship between comprehension skills and narrative comprehension was examined. The results indicate a difference between narrative comprehension in written text and visual presentation, with narrative comprehension in visual presentation being higher. Furthermore, the number of story-based inferences is a significant predictor for narrative comprehension in written text presentation and story-based and knowledge-based inferences for narrative comprehension in auditory presentation. Although further research is needed, these findings suggest the importance of using narrative texts across different media. Also these findings may be used for developing interventions in which children practice making inferences and use their metacognition across different media.Show less
Nowadays children read less and less. They spent more time on other media, such as audio and animation video. Therefore it is important to know how children can learn through these media. This...Show moreNowadays children read less and less. They spent more time on other media, such as audio and animation video. Therefore it is important to know how children can learn through these media. This study examines differences in online and offline comprehension between text, audio and animation video. So far research about this subject is scarce. Eighty-three children between eight and twelve years old participated in the study. A within-subjects design was used with three stories. A think-aloud protocol was used and after each part of the story participants were asked to say out loud what they were thinking. Children’s statements were categorized into different types of inferences. Online comprehension was measured using three types of inferences: connecting, reinstatement and knowledge-based inferences. Offline comprehension was measured with comprehension questions. Results indicated that there was no difference between the amount of connecting-, reinstatement- and knowledge-based inferences made in the different media. Regarding the second research question children answered significantly more comprehension questions correctly after watching an animation video than after reading a text. In addition, no differences were found in offline comprehension between text and audio and audio and animation video. This study supports the idea that children develop a general inference skill that is similar in different media. This suggests that they can practice making inferences via animation videos and being read to by someone. Regarding offline comprehension, additional research is needed on the effectiveness of using animation videos in the classroom to improve comprehension strategies. These inference skills and comprehension strategies can later be applied in reading comprehension.Show less
Reading comprehension is one of the most complex skills that children have to learn in school. To teach reading comprehension in a correct way, it is important to know what the skill consists of...Show moreReading comprehension is one of the most complex skills that children have to learn in school. To teach reading comprehension in a correct way, it is important to know what the skill consists of and what other factors, such as topic interest, have an important role. Reading comprehension is explained as creating a mental coherent representation of the text by using active and passive reading processes. Pre-knowledge, topic interest and the readers’ motivation and gender influence the comprehension processes. In this study we examine the role of the readers topic interest in reading comprehension and whether the readers’ gender, reading motivation and pre-knowledge have an influence on this role. This study has a within-subject design and is performed on students in the fifth and eight grade of primary school. These students filled in a survey where they had to select three interesting and three non-interesting texts from a list. Then, they had to read those six selected texts and were asked to answer six questions about each texts. After this, the researchers graded the answers. The students could receive 1 point per right answer. This resulted in a mean score of zero to six points and was divided in a mean score for the interesting and the non-interesting texts. We found that students had a significant higher score on the texts they selected as interesting than non-interesting. This effect was the same for boys and girls and also the same for children that do or don’t read a lot for fun in their free time. It was also found that children selected texts mostly as interesting when they had more pre- knowledge about that text topic. So it could be said that topic interest and pre-knowledge are important factors that need to be taken in account when teaching reading comprehension.Show less
Current research has looked into the effects of ePrent&ABC, an intervention for stimulating early literacy of kindergarteners. The current study had two goals: 1) to investigate the reciprocal...Show moreCurrent research has looked into the effects of ePrent&ABC, an intervention for stimulating early literacy of kindergarteners. The current study had two goals: 1) to investigate the reciprocal relationship of phonological awareness (PA) and vocabulary; 2) to profile children who develop vocabulary slower than their peers (low achievers). Participants were 81 kindergarteners from six different groups (Mage = 5.26 years, SD = 0.62). Pre-tests were administered for story-based vocabulary, general vocabulary, PA and executive functioning (EF) and observations were performed for children’s active participation in class. The intervention consisted of a control condition and three conditions in which digital storybooks were read to the children. During all conditions teachers read storybooks of which the prints and an animated version were shown on digiboards. In condition A storybooks were read in a non-dialogic manner; in condition B dialogic reading and semantic consolidation of target words were added; and in condition C phonological consolidation was added to dialogic reading with semantic consolidation. After each condition, story-based vocabulary was post tested. A within-subjects design was implemented, meaning that all participants took part in each condition. Low achievers were selected after condition A and during condition B and C they received individual differentiation. Results indicated that ePrent&ABC effectively improved vocabulary compared to pre-tests, especially during condition B. The story-based vocabulary of low achievers improved significantly after individual differentiation; afterwards, their results were not significantly different from their peers’. A better developed PA influenced the growth in vocabulary. Reversed, there appeared to be no effect of vocabulary on PA, indicating that explicit instruction may be necessary for developing PA. Lastly, a model with predictors EF and active participation, significantly predicted growth in story-based vocabulary. Separately, both EF and participation were non-significant predictors. Schools are recommended to incorporate ePrent&ABC into their curriculum.Show less
e-Prent&ABC is a reading method designed to enhance children’s vocabulary, story comprehension, print knowledge and phonological awareness. During this reading method digital picture books are...Show moree-Prent&ABC is a reading method designed to enhance children’s vocabulary, story comprehension, print knowledge and phonological awareness. During this reading method digital picture books are read interactively to children. It is based on the didactic model ‘de Viertakt’ and uses print referencing. In previous research e-Prent&ABC has proved to be an effective reading method, however not for all children (Dijken, 2019). Teachers suspected that children with problematic learning behavior benefited less from the reading method than children who did not exhibit this behavior. This is presumably due to a low degree of taskoriented behavior. For this reason, a new version of e-Prent&ABC is designed with added behavioral components aimed at increasing the task-oriented behavior of the children with problematic learning behavior (e-Prent&ABC+). The aim of the current study is to research whether the reading method e-Prent&ABC+, compared to e-Prent&ABC, leads to a larger vocabulary growth in children with problematic learning behavior compared to children who do not exhibit this behavior. Because the ability to display task-oriented behavior is partly dependent on the inhibitory control of children, inhibitory control was also included in the analysis. Participants were 60 children (mean age = 65.52 months). In three intervention weeks, picture books are read according to three conditions (Levende Boeken (control condition), e-Prent&ABC or e-Prent&ABC+). The results showed that the reading method ePrent&ABC caused the greatest growth in vocabulary, this confirms previous research which states that e-Prent&ABC is an effective reading method to enlarge the vocabulary of children. During this reading method task-oriented behavior determined the growth in vocabulary, whereas during reading with Levende Boeken and e-Prent&ABC+ this was determined by the inhibitory control of children. This indicates that the interactive reading used during ePrent&ABC is an efficient way of involving children in the lesson, potentially overcoming a low degree of inhibition, and teaching them new words.Show less
