Origins of Print Concepts at Home: Print Referencing During Joint Book-Reading Interactions in Taiwanese Mothers and Children

Research Findings: This study examines the amount of attention to print paid by Taiwanese mothers and children during joint book reading over time and the relationship between the use of print referencing by Taiwanese mothers and the print concepts skills of their children measured at age 3;0. A total of 42 Taiwanese mother–child pairs from middle-class families participated in this study. Mother–child interactions during joint book reading were video recorded and analyzed when the children were 1;2, 2;2, and 3;0. The mothers’ use of print referencing strategies correlated positively and significantly with children’s use of print referencing both synchronically and diachronically during joint book reading. Significant positive correlations were also found between children’s performance on a print concepts test at 3;0 and print referencing strategies used by their mothers when the children were 2;2 and 3;0. Practice or Policy: It is suggested that parents and preschool and kindergarten teachers increase their use of print referencing strategies when they read books to young children.