JAASEP WINTER 2007 Part 3 of 6
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Research on literacy development of children has provided educators and policymakers with evidence on the importance of facilitating literacy during early years of child development. By investigating the life circumstances of successful young readers in environments of affluence and poverty, researchers have identified factors that are conducive to children’s early literacy development. However, a void exists in this extensive research.
Since education is considered to be the key to breaking the cycle of homelessness (Bassuk, 1990; Nunez, 1994; Vissing, 1996), and early literacy development is closely linked to later academic success (Taylor & Dorsey-Gaines, 1988), it is imperative that we closely examine literacy development of young homeless children.
The purpose of my study was to understand the ways in which shelter life influenced the literacy development of young children. My study aimed to answer the following questions: 1. What was the nature of shelter living for children and mothers at the shelter? 2. How did the families’ activities influence the literacy development of their children? 3. What were the characteristics of the shelter environment that influenced the literacy development of children?
Abstract
While research on emergent literacy development provides a comprehensive picture of the factors that are conducive to children’s early literacy development, environments of young preschool children living in overnight and residential shelters have not been investigated from an emergent literacy perspective. Results of my comprehensive study on the emergent literacy development of children living at a homeless shelter uncovered the role of older school-age children (among other factors) in providing unique opportunities for younger children’s literacy interactions. This article aims to describe these children’s activities in detail in an attempt to promote further research and discussion in the area of homeless children’s educational and literacy development.