Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Program Name/Specialization

Developmental Psychology

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Dr. Alexandra Gottardo

Advisor Role

Supervisor

Second Advisor

Dr. Eileen Wood

Advisor Role

Internal Committee Member

Third Advisor

Dr. Kim Roberts

Advisor Role

Internal Committee Member

Abstract

The home learning environment can be an effective venue to support children’s early literacy development, particularly when parents are equipped with accessible and practical strategies that fit naturally into their daily routines. Training parents to actively engage their children in shared book storytelling prior to school entry may promote early literacy gains while also fostering an early love of reading. The present study examines how parent-child shared storytelling interactions support preschool-aged children’s emergent literacy development through a parent-led dialogic reading program with picture books. Dialogic reading (DR) refers to an interactive method of shared book reading in which the parent or teacher actively engages children in telling the story through questions, feedback, and discussion (Whitehurst et al., 1988; Arnold, Lonigan, Whitehurst, & Epstein, 1994). Parents were shown how to practice DR in a lab setting and provided with either 9 worded or 9 wordless picture books to use at home between 5 lab visits 3-4 weeks apart (for a total intervention period of approximately 16-weeks). A Control Group received worded picture books and did not receive DR instruction until after the study concluded. 70 parent-child dyads (N = 70) were recruited to participate in the study. The final sample included 19 dyads in the Control Group (n = 19), 25 dyads in the Worded DR Group (n = 25), and 26 dyads in the Wordless DR Group (n = 26). Children’s alphabet knowledge, initial sound fluency, expressive vocabulary, and rhyming were assessed at the first and last in-person meetings to evaluate growth over time and to compare the effects of book type and DR training on early literacy outcomes across groups. Additionally, parent-child dyads were recorded engaging in shared book storytelling or other educational activities provided to the participants in the control condition. Each lab visit was between 30-60 minutes. Parents’ use of DR strategies were coded to determine whether they implemented the DR training and how this compared to parents’ natural use of these strategies without training. To evaluate both the quantity and quality (complexity and reciprocity) of parent-child engagement during shared storytelling, recordings were coded for parent and child language production, and repetition of their partner’s word types (nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs). It was found that DR training increased parents’ use of DR-specific strategies and better prepared dyads for a child-led storytelling task. Parents who received DR training consistently used more prompts, with unique benefits emerging when using wordless picture books. Wordless picture books appeared to enhance parent-child shared storytelling interactions beyond the effects of DR training alone, as parents in the Wordless DR Group demonstrated the greatest use of DR strategies, higher overall language production from both parents and children, as well as greater repetition of children’s language. Thus, these findings suggest that the absence of text encourages richer interactions through encouraging collaborative storytelling. Parents in the DR groups, and especially those using wordless picture books, reported more positive changes in their shared reading interactions and greater engagement from both themselves and their children. Although early literacy measures were not significantly affected by DR training or book type over the course of the intervention, the observed improvement in shared reading interactions and engagement may support the development of these skills over time by encouraging continued shared reading and fostering a love of reading. Overall, this study highlights the importance of providing families with educational resources for DR to support shared reading engagement, as well as incorporating different book types in the home environment from an early age.

Convocation Year

2027

Convocation Season

Spring

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Available for download on Thursday, September 30, 2027

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