Preschool book-sharing and oral storytelling experiences in ethnically diverse, low-income families

Children’s book-sharing and oral storytelling experiences were examined in 264 4-year-olds from low-income African-American, Dominican, Mexican, and Chinese families in the United States. Mothers reported on children’s book-sharing and oral storytelling experiences with mothers, fathers, and other people (siblings, grandparents, relatives, and family friends). Results showed that children’s book-sharing experiences were strongly associated with their oral storytelling experiences, suggesting that individual children had uniformly high or low participation in these activities. Mothers, fathers, and other people (especially siblings) participated in these activities with children. Family socio-economic status (i.e. parent education and employment), parental ethnicity, and household composition related to children’s experiences showing that learning experiences are embedded in ecological contexts. Future interventions should recognize the specific needs and advantages of families from diverse backgrounds, and involve multiple family members, including siblings.