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
This study examined the effects of a classroom-focused intervention on early literacy. The intervention consisted of interactive e-book reading via a SMART board combined with a print referencing...Show moreThis study examined the effects of a classroom-focused intervention on early literacy. The intervention consisted of interactive e-book reading via a SMART board combined with a print referencing technique via a program called e-Prent&ABC. The goal of the study was to examine whether focusing on print referencing during storytelling improves the book-bound vocabulary and printing knowledge of kindergarteners and to examine whether this relationship between storytelling and acquiring knowledge is different for children with a relatively low inhibition capacity compared to children with a relatively high inhibition capacity. Results indicated significantly larger gains with high effect sizes in book bound vocabulary (ηp2 = .614) and printing knowledge (ηp2 = .433) after participating in the intervention. The print referencing technique was found to be significantly effective with a high effect size for growth in printing knowledge (ηp2 = .450). The growth in vocabulary was not attributable to the print referencing technique, however this technique did not hinder children’s learning of new words. No significant differences were found after participating in the intervention for children with a relatively low inhibition capacity when compared to children with a relatively high inhibition capacity. The findings indicated that shared e-book reading combined with a print referencing technique is an effective method for stimulating and enhancing early literacy skills of kindergarteners such as printing knowledge and vocabulary.Show less
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...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
Onderzocht is de invloed van executieve functies op woordenschatontwikkeling na het kijken van een digitaal prentenboek op het smartboard waar gebruik wordt gemaakt van Print Refencing. Daarnaast...Show moreOnderzocht is de invloed van executieve functies op woordenschatontwikkeling na het kijken van een digitaal prentenboek op het smartboard waar gebruik wordt gemaakt van Print Refencing. Daarnaast is er een vergelijking gemaakt tussen de gevalideerde Dimensional Change Card Sort en de ‘nieuwe’ Dimensional Change Card Match om te onderzoeken of de Dimensional Change Card Match een valide instrument is om de executieve functies te meten. Aan dit onderzoek hebben 32 kleuters van een basisschool in Leiden mee gedaan. De kinderen waren 57 tot 71 maanden oud (M = 64.50; SD = 3.45) en spraken Nederlands als eerste taal. De kleuters keken klassikaal naar drie verschillende digitale prentenboeken op het smartboard. Deze digitale prentenboeken werden aangeboden in drie onderscheidende condities: zonder tekst, met tekst en met Print Referencing. Kleuters werden voor en na het zien van de drie digitale prentenboeken individueel getest op woordenschatontwikkeling door middel van de Actieve Boekspecifieke Vocabulaire Test. Ook werden zij getest op het controle boekje, deze kregen de kleuters niet te zien. Daarnaast werden de executieve functies getest door middel van de DCCM, de DCCS, de Stroop- Like Task (opposites), de Backward Digit Span Test en de Digit Span Words. Geconcludeerd werd dat kleuters nieuwe woorden leren na het zien van een digitaal prentenboek op het smartboard waarbij de vorm van de digitale prentenboeken irrelevant was voor de woordenschatontwikkeling. De executieve functies bleken van invloed op de woordenschatontwikkeling na het kijken van een boekje met Print Referencing. Hierbij hebben kinderen geen negatieve gevolgen van de Print Referencing ondervonden. Kinderen die laag scoorden op bepaalde dimensies van de executieve functies (inhibitie en cognitieve flexibiliteit) hadden er zelfs meer profijt van in het opdoen van nieuwe woorden. Naar aanleiding van deze resultaten wordt er aangeraden kinderen een boekje met Print Referencing aan te bieden. Uitkomsten van dit onderzoek hebben meer duidelijkheid geboden over welke vorm van digitale prentenboeken, met of zonder Print Referencing, het beste aan kinderen aangeboden kan worden, om het meest efficiënt hun woordenschat uit te breiden.Show less
