Teachers in kindergarten are confronted with many differences between emergent literacy skills children have developed before going to primary school. Since these skills are the foundation of the...Show moreTeachers in kindergarten are confronted with many differences between emergent literacy skills children have developed before going to primary school. Since these skills are the foundation of the development of reading skills, it is important to promote emergent literacy in kindergarten. E- Prent&ABC is a method to improve emergent literacy that combines animated e-books with print referencing and the 4-cycle-model for word development during classroom book reading. A previous study has demonstrated that e-Prent&ABC enhances vocabulary and phonological awareness of kindergartners. However, kindergartners with problematic learning behavior do not benefit from these positive effects. Therefore, the current study adds behavior regulating elements to e-Prent&ABC to improve the learning behavior of kindergartners with problematic learning behavior and to help them benefit more from classroom book reading. This quasi-experimental study explores how whole-class reading with the expanded method e-Prent&ABC+ can enhance learning behavior, vocabulary, and phonological awareness of kindergartners with problematic learning behavior. 60 kindergartners (30 with and 30 without problematic learning behavior) from nine kindergarten groups participated in three conditions (control condition, e-Prent&ABC, and e-Prent&ABC+). Ultimately, the results demonstrate that both kindergartners with and without problematic learning behavior showed the most positive learning behavior during the control condition instead of during reading with e-Prent&ABC+ or e-Prent&ABC . Furthermore, the results confirm previous findings by showing that e-Prent&ABC effectively promotes both vocabulary and phonological awareness of kindergartners. The added elements in e-Prent&ABC+ did not better improve learning behavior and emergent literacy than e- Prent&ABC does. Compared to e-Prent&ABC, the vocabulary of the kindergartners was even smaller after reading with e-Prent&ABC+ . In spite of several limitations, this research has shown that animated e-books can be used in combination with the 4-cycle-model during whole-class book reading to create a rich literacy environment in which emergent literacy skills can be promoted simultaneously.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