Content not form predicts oral language comprehension: the influence of the medium on preschoolers’ story understanding

• Published in: Reading & writing Vol. 30; no. 8; pp. 1753 - 1771
• Main Authors: Neuman, Susan B., Wong, Kevin M., Kaefer, Tanya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Netherlands 01.10.2017; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Academic Achievement; Check Lists; Childrens literature; Comprehension; Disadvantaged Youth; E-books; Education; Educational Technology; Emergent Literacy; English Learners; Evaluators; Head Start project; High Achievement; Kindergarten; Language and Literature; Language Processing; Learning Activities; Linguistics; Listening comprehension; Literacy; Low Achievement; Low Income Students; Neurology; Oral Language; Preschool Children; Preschool Education; Psycholinguistics; Reading Aloud to Others; Reading Comprehension; Reading Motivation; Social Sciences; Spoken language; Statistical Analysis; Story Reading; Storytelling; Task Analysis; Teaching Methods; Technology Uses in Education; Thinking Skills; Toddlers; Video Technology; Vocabulary Development; Vocabulary Skills; Young Children; Preschoolers; Digital media; Within-subject design; Early literacy; Oral language comprehension
• ISSN: 0922-4777; 1573-0905
• DOI: 10.1007/s11145-017-9750-4

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of digital and non-digital storybooks on low-income preschoolers’ oral language comprehension. Employing a within-subject design on 38 four-year-olds from a Head Start program, we compared the effect of medium on preschoolers’ target words and comprehension of stories. Four digital storybooks were adapted and printed for read-alouds. Children were randomly read two stories on the digital platform, and two by the assessors. Following the story, children completed vocabulary and comprehension tasks, and a brief motivation checklist. We found no significant differences across medium; children comprehended equally well regardless of whether the story was read digitally or in person. However, using repeated ANOVA measures, we found a significant main effect of the story read. This research indicates that the content of the book rather than its form predicts story comprehension. Implications for using digital media in the preschool years are discussed.