Examining the Role of Home Literacy Environment in the Growth of Morphological Awareness from Kindergarten to Grade 2

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Bibliographic Details
Title: Examining the Role of Home Literacy Environment in the Growth of Morphological Awareness from Kindergarten to Grade 2
Language: English
Authors: Ioannis Grigorakis (ORCID 0000-0001-5906-914X), George Manolitsis (ORCID 0000-0002-2117-2384), Tomohiro Inoue (ORCID 0000-0001-8163-087X), George K. Georgiou (ORCID 0000-0002-9081-992X)
Source: Journal of Research in Reading. 2025 48(3):201-219.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 19
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Kindergarten
Primary Education
Grade 1
Grade 2
Descriptors: Morphology (Languages), Metalinguistics, Predictor Variables, Phonological Awareness, Alphabets, Kindergarten, Emergent Literacy, Foreign Countries, Vocabulary Development, Grade 1, Grade 2, Elementary School Students, Family Literacy, Family Environment, Greek, Parent Attitudes, Figurative Language, Language Acquisition
Geographic Terms: Greece
DOI: 10.1111/1467-9817.70006
ISSN: 0141-0423
1467-9817
Abstract: Background: Early morphological awareness skills are well-known predictors of later literacy skills, but little is known on how young children develop this early morphological knowledge without formal instruction. Home literacy environment is considered as a supporting context for several early literacy skills' growth, but no studies have examined effects on early morphological awareness growth. The purpose of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of different aspects of the home literacy environment (HLE; code-related HLE, meaning-related HLE and access to literacy resources) in the growth of morphological awareness (MA) skills. Methods: One hundred and sixty Greek children (79 girls and 81 boys; M[subscript age] = 67.22 months) were assessed in kindergarten on letter knowledge, phonological awareness and vocabulary. Their MA skills (Word Analogy and Compounding) were also assessed in kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2. Their parents filled out an HLE questionnaire when their children were in kindergarten. Results: Results of structural equation modelling showed that code-related HLE had both a direct effect on the intercept of Word Analogy and an indirect effect on the growth of Word Analogy and the intercept of Compounding through letter knowledge. In turn, access to literacy resources predicted the intercept of Word Analogy and Compounding indirectly through the effects of vocabulary. Conclusions: Taken together, the present findings suggest that HLE is important in the early stages of MA development, but its effects are mostly mediated by the emergent literacy skills.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1479218
Database: ERIC
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Abstract:Background: Early morphological awareness skills are well-known predictors of later literacy skills, but little is known on how young children develop this early morphological knowledge without formal instruction. Home literacy environment is considered as a supporting context for several early literacy skills' growth, but no studies have examined effects on early morphological awareness growth. The purpose of this study was to examine the direct and indirect effects of different aspects of the home literacy environment (HLE; code-related HLE, meaning-related HLE and access to literacy resources) in the growth of morphological awareness (MA) skills. Methods: One hundred and sixty Greek children (79 girls and 81 boys; M[subscript age] = 67.22 months) were assessed in kindergarten on letter knowledge, phonological awareness and vocabulary. Their MA skills (Word Analogy and Compounding) were also assessed in kindergarten, Grade 1 and Grade 2. Their parents filled out an HLE questionnaire when their children were in kindergarten. Results: Results of structural equation modelling showed that code-related HLE had both a direct effect on the intercept of Word Analogy and an indirect effect on the growth of Word Analogy and the intercept of Compounding through letter knowledge. In turn, access to literacy resources predicted the intercept of Word Analogy and Compounding indirectly through the effects of vocabulary. Conclusions: Taken together, the present findings suggest that HLE is important in the early stages of MA development, but its effects are mostly mediated by the emergent literacy skills.
ISSN:0141-0423
1467-9817
DOI:10.1111/1467-9817.70006