Home support for emergent literacy: Follow-up of a community-based implementation of dialogic reading

This study tested if parents taught to use an interactive (“dialogic”) reading style to promote early vocabulary skills continued to read this way as their children grew older. Approximately half the 78 participants received instruction in dialogic reading when their child was age 2 or 3 years, the other half had no prior instruction. Parent–child reading evaluated more than 2 years after instruction showed significant group differences in parents' use of dialogic reading techniques. Analysis controlling for maternal education, child's age, and frequency of family reading found parents with prior instruction used on average 90% more dialogic reading behaviors than parents without instruction. Use of dialogic reading behaviors was associated with more active participation of the child in the reading session. Evidence of the ability to change parents' reading style through brief instruction is strong. Similar efforts could help parents play a further role in children's emergent literacy development.