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Literacy development and its factors
Author
Noor Hafizah Wahianuar
Supervisor
Cheng, Yuan Shan
Abstract
A child’s English literacy development may be influenced by many factors in his or her environment. Many studies have shown the importance of home environment and language exposure in the literacy development of children. In Singapore’s context, many families engage foreign domestic workers or elderly grandparents to take on the role of primary caregiver. Thus, the home environment that a child in Singapore grows up in may include non- standard English language as well as foreign languages. Will the primary caregiver’s English literacy level and English language proficiency influence the child’s English literacy development? The present study sought to investigate:
1. Whether primary caregivers’ English literacy level and English language proficiency are related to children’s English literacy development, and
2. Which factor(s) would be good predictor(s) of children’s English literacy development in Singapore?
A total of 76 students from a primary school, and their respective parents and primary caregivers participated in this study. Caregiver Literacy, Child’s IQ, English Language Exposure, Socioeconomic Status, Child’s Perception of Time Management, Parent’s Self-Efficacy and Caregiver’s English Language Proficiency served as predictor variables while Child Literacy served as the criterion variable. Multiple regression analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between the predictor variables and the criterion variable.
The results of the study show that primary caregivers’ English literacy level and English language proficiency are not significant predictors of children’s English literacy development. Instead, the strongest predictors of a child’s literacy development are the family’s socioeconomic status, the child’s nonverbal IQ and the child’s perception of time management. Parent’s self-efficacy was also found to have an influence on child’s literacy development when mediated by socioeconomic status.
The findings of this study suggest that government initiatives may be needed to narrow the gap between the educational opportunities and outcomes of children from lower and higher SES families to allow more equal access to better educational resources for all children, regardless of their family’s SES and income level. Schools and parents should also educate students on effective time management to encourage better study behavior.
1. Whether primary caregivers’ English literacy level and English language proficiency are related to children’s English literacy development, and
2. Which factor(s) would be good predictor(s) of children’s English literacy development in Singapore?
A total of 76 students from a primary school, and their respective parents and primary caregivers participated in this study. Caregiver Literacy, Child’s IQ, English Language Exposure, Socioeconomic Status, Child’s Perception of Time Management, Parent’s Self-Efficacy and Caregiver’s English Language Proficiency served as predictor variables while Child Literacy served as the criterion variable. Multiple regression analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between the predictor variables and the criterion variable.
The results of the study show that primary caregivers’ English literacy level and English language proficiency are not significant predictors of children’s English literacy development. Instead, the strongest predictors of a child’s literacy development are the family’s socioeconomic status, the child’s nonverbal IQ and the child’s perception of time management. Parent’s self-efficacy was also found to have an influence on child’s literacy development when mediated by socioeconomic status.
The findings of this study suggest that government initiatives may be needed to narrow the gap between the educational opportunities and outcomes of children from lower and higher SES families to allow more equal access to better educational resources for all children, regardless of their family’s SES and income level. Schools and parents should also educate students on effective time management to encourage better study behavior.
Date Issued
2018
Call Number
LC157.S55 Noo
Date Submitted
2018