Genetic and environmental influences on early literacy

University of ColoradoPrereading and early reading skills of preschool twin children in Australia,Scandinavia and the United States were explored in a genetically sensitive design(max. N5627 preschool pairs and 422 kindergarten pairs). Analyses indicated astrong genetic influence on preschool phonological awareness, rapid naming andverbal memory. Print awareness, vocabulary and grammar/morphology were subjectprimarily to shared environment effects. There were significant genetic and sharedenvironment correlations among the preschool traits. Kindergarten reading,phonological awareness and rapid naming were primarily affected by genes, andspelling was equally affected by genes and shared environment. Multivariateanalyses revealed genetic and environmental overlap and independence amongkindergarten variables. Longitudinal analyses showed genetic continuity as well aschange in phonological awareness and rapid naming across the 2 years. Relationsamong the preschool variables of print awareness, phonological awareness and rapidnaming and kindergarten reading were also explored in longitudinal analyses.Educational implications are discussed.

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