Gender-typicality of activity offerings and child–teacher relationship closeness in German “Kindergarten”. Influences on the development of spelling competence as an indicator of early basic literacy in boys and girls

•We measured early literacy in children from 135 kindergarten teacher–child dyads.•Teachers' activity offerings were more often feminine than masculine gender-typed.•Kindergarten teachers described relationships with girls as closer than with boys.•Greater spelling competence followed gender-matched activities in close relationships.•Conditions most likely helpful for boys' competence development were seldom observed.

We argue that kindergarten teachers may differentially impact early basic literacy in girls and boys depending on the gender-typicality of the activities they offer, the closeness of their relationship with the child, and the child's gender. In 135 independent child–teacher dyads from different German “Kindergarten” groups (all teachers being female) we found that a) teachers reported offering significantly more feminine than masculine gender-typed activities, b) teachers described their relationship with girls as closer than their relationship with boys, and c) a close child–teacher relationship promoted early literacy – measured via spelling competence one year later – to the extent that the teacher provided more activities that – according to gender stereotypes – are associated with the child's gender than activities associated with the other gender. Results are discussed in the context of the debate of overrepresentation of female teachers in kindergarten, and whether this may be to the disadvantage of boys.