Relations of the home literacy environment (HLE) to the development of reading-related abilities: A one-year longitudinal study

The home literacy environment (HLE) is an important variable in the development of a number of developmental and educational outcomes; however, a number of questions concerning its conceptualization and relations to diverse outcomes are unanswered. This study examined the relations of six different conceptualizations of the HLE to oral language, phonological sensitivity, and early literacy development in a longitudinal sample of 115 preschoolers. Multiple regression and correlational analyses indicated that each of the HLE conceptualizations was consistently related to the outcomes studied. However, the magnitude of the relations varied considerably across outcomes and when other developmental predictors were taken into account. These results indicate that future examinations of the HLE and its role in the development of language and literacy skills need to take into account the manner in which the home environment is conceptualized. El contexto de alfabetizacion del hogar (HLE) es una variable importante en el desarrollo de una cantidad de consecuencias evolutivas y educativas; sin embargo hay un gran numero de interrogantes sin respuesta referidos a su conceptualizacion y relaciones con los diversos efectos. Este estudio examino las relaciones de seis conceptualizaciones diferentes del HLE con el lenguaje oral, la sensibilidad fonologica y el desarrollo temprano de la lectoescritura en una muestra longitudinal de 115 ninos de Jardin. Los analisis de regresion multiple y correlacionales indicaron que cada una de las conceptualizaciones del HLE se relaciono consistentemente con los efectos estudiados. Sin embargo, la magnitud de las relaciones vario considerablemente segun los efectos, asi como tambien cuando se tuvieron en cuenta otros predictores evolutivos. Estos resultados indican que los estudios futuros sobre el HLE y su papel en el desarrollo de las habilidades de lenguaje y lectoescritura deben tomar en consideracion la forma en la que se conceptualiza el contexto del hogar. Die hausliche Schreib- und Leseumgebung (HLE = Home Literacy Environment) ist ein wichtiger Faktor bei der Gestaltung einer Anzahl entwicklungsbedingter und erzieherischer Folgeergebnisse; dennoch bleiben viele Fragen in Bezug auf ihre Konzeptualisierung und Relationen zu verschiedenen Auswirkungen unbeantwortet. Diese Studie untersucht die Relationen von sechs verschiedenen Konzeptualisierungen der HLE zur gesprochenen Sprache, phonologischen Sensitivitat und fruher Schreib- und Leseentwicklungen in einem Langzeitbeispiel mit 115 Vorschulern. Mehrfachregression und Korrelationsanalysen zeigten, dass jede der HLE Konzeptualisierungen mit den untersuchten Ergebnissen ubereinstimmte. Jedoch variierte das Ausmas der Beziehungen betrachtlich quer durch die Ergebnisse und sobald andere Entwicklungseinflusse in Rechnung gezogen wurden. Diese Ergebnisse zeigen, das zukunftige Untersuchungen der HLE und deren Rolle in der Entwicklung von Sprache und Schreib- bzw. Lesefertigkeiten die Umstande in Rechnung ziehen mussen, in der die hausliche Umgebung konzeptualisiert ist. L'environnement ecrit familial (EEF) est une variable importante du developpement de nombreux aspects du developpement et del'education toutefois, nombre de questions concernant sa conceptualisation et ses relations avec differents aspects demeurent sans reponses. Cette etude a porte sur les relations de six conceptualisations differentes de l'EEF sur le langage oral, la sensibilite phonologique, et les premiers developpements de la litteratie a l'aide d'un echantillon de 115 enfantsd'âge prescolaire suivis longitudinalement. Des analyses de regression multiple et des correlations ont montre que chacune des conceptualisations de l'EEF est fortement liee aux aspects etudies. Cependant, l'ampleur de ces relations varie considerablement d'un aspect a l'autre et quand d'autres predicteurs du developpement sont pris en consideration. Ces resultats montrent que les etudes ulterieures de l'EEF et de son role sur le developpement des competences en matiere de langage et de litteratie devront prendre en consideration la facon dont on conceptualise l'environnement familial.

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