THE EXPERIENCE OF STORY READING

Shared by: Etel Leit

Subject: DEAF CHILDREN AND HEARING MOTHERS'''' INTERACTIONS AT STORY TIME

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THE STUDY EXAMINED scaffolding interactions between deaf children and hearing mothers in which story reading was used as a tool to aid in the development of narrative comprehension and linguistic reasoning. The dyadic interactions were examined from the perspective of the theoretical works of Vygotsky (1934/1962, 1978, 1929/1981, 1960/1981). The sample group consisted of 7 dyads of hearing mothers and their deaf children ages 4.2 to 9.5 years. The mothers signed a story to their children. The dyadic interactions reflected the different levels of scaffolding and functioning within the zone of proximal development (Vygotsky 1934/1962, 1978). The researchers found that story reading provides an excellent framework for both cognitive and emotional growth within the parent/child dyad. Mothers who engaged their children in mutual dialogue also used elaboration. This was reflected in their children''''s linguistic reasoning.

Measures were administered at the homes of the participants. The lead researcher first visited each mother''''s home, where the mother read her child a story, "Dudley and the Strawberry Shake" (Taylor & Cross, 1986). (Having been out of print for some time, the story was unfamiliar to the mothers.) This interaction was videotaped. The mother chose the location of the story reading. The child was then tested with the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument (PLAI; Blank, Rose, & Berlin, 1978). This interaction was also videotaped. The parent received the Inventory of Parent Experiences (Crnic & Greenberg, 1983) to fill out and mail back to the researcher. Each child received a storybook as a thank-you gift from the researcher.

Seven dyads participated: four girls and three boys ranging in age from 4.2 to 9-5 years and their hearing mothers. All seven children were profoundly deaf, and all were enrolled in educational programs using Total Communication. Two children used primarily Signing Exact English; five used American Sign Language. For a dyad to be selected, both parents had to be hearing and the child had to have no additional handicap. Household income ranged from $30,000 to more than $60,000 per year. The mothers'''' education level ranged from ninth grade to completion of a master''''s degree. Two households were bilingual: In addition to English, one used Spanish and another used Portuguese. All mothers were Caucasian.

In summary, all children in the present study enjoyed the reading interaction and did not want it to end (except the youngest, who did not express a desire one way or the other). This confirms that story reading is an excellent framework for both cognitive and emotional growth within the parent/child dyad.

The dyads in the present study showed that time spent reading facilitates communication. The mothers and children asked questions, presented inferences, and presented and elicited concepts. The study also indicates that children intuitively enjoy and seek out reading and retelling, an activity that has been found to further linguistic growth. The study also provided clear representations of the different levels of scaffolding discussed by Wertsch (1979, 1984) and by Wertsch and colleagues (1980). Further, it provided vignettes of mutuality and reciprocation during story reading and excerpts of sheer dyadic joy. In addition, this study expands the understanding of the child''''s role in maximizing the zone of proximal development.
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