Date of Award

2004

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Psychology

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the process of emerging literacy development in young Iranian children, and it was explored through naturalistic observation of the children's activities at home. The study aimed to determine the main elements of Iranian children's activities at home, literacy tools present in Iranian homes, and the culturally specific literacy experiences of Iranian children. The participants were 48 children ages 2, 2.5, and 3 years, who lived in Tehran and did not attend preschool or a day care center. The mothers of these children are also considered to be participants in the study. The data were collected by videotaping an hour of the children's interaction with their families during family's down time during the day. The data were coded, categorized and contextualized. A model for emergent literacy in the Iranian family was proposed, which consisted of; Literacy Activities, Verbal Interaction, Environmental Print, and Literacy Tools. The study revealed that Iranian children between 2 and 4 years of age engaged in a variety of emergent literacy activities at home, most of which are verbal in nature. Exposure to written and spoken Arabic and literacy activities in religious contexts were unique features of emergent literacy in Iran. Iranian homes provided children with very limited exposure to print. The limited print exposure was through fixed environmental print elements which were not directly handled by children. Children's books, storybook reading, and joint book reading were not found to be common daily experiences of Iranian children, and this might delay the development of some early literacy skills.

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