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Measuring early literacy behaviors: preschool-age children and first-generation Mexican immigrant parents

dc.contributor.authorDeLay, Jan Marie, author
dc.contributor.authorMakela, Carole, advisor
dc.date.accessioned2024-03-13T19:26:11Z
dc.date.available2024-03-13T19:26:11Z
dc.date.issued2007
dc.description.abstractThe purpose of this dissertation was to contribute a theoretically and empirically sound quantitative measurement of parent early literacy behaviors, designed for Spanish speaking families. This study describes the need for and the development of a questionnaire completed by parents. A pilot test of the Emergent Literacy Behavior Questionnaire (ELBQ) provided preliminary exploration of an instrument designed specifically for first generation Mexican immigrants in Colorado. The long-term objectives included establishing reliability and validity of the ELBQ for informing parent education program practices. Suggestions for further research include field tests with the ELBQ in programs providing services to families including early childhood, family literacy and adult education. Testing and outcome accountability measures often tied to funding for parent education with early intervention programs rely primarily on measures of early childhood development. These assessments often miss the purpose of family literacy and adult education programs to break the cycle of low literacy, not to raise test scores of very young children. Capturing valid data on parent strengths could assist in comparing information from child development measures for deeper diagnostic and program improvement purposes. Parent behaviors influence children's later school success. Often the home literacy behaviors of parents studied in the context of cultural factors overlook strengths as a point of reference for constructing knowledge. The myth that Latino and other parents of diverse backgrounds do not value education is one of the primary reasons cited in this dissertation as a need to develop an instrument designed to measure diverse cultural values and behaviors related to early literacy parent behaviors with young children. Immigrant parents from Mexico assisted with the design and creation of the ELBQ to include respect of family cultures that better examines changes that may lead to increased understanding of the importance of cultural variances. The pilot test analyses were limited to exploratory factor analysis and preliminary reliability and validity assessment. Results offer possibilities for refining the questionnaire and suggest a field test design. Recommendations conclude by proposing uses of the questionnaire as a supportive addition to the strengths-based framework of research in school improvement and parent involvement.
dc.format.mediumborn digital
dc.format.mediumdoctoral dissertations
dc.identifierETDF_DeLay_2007_3266386.pdf
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10217/237679
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoeng
dc.publisherColorado State University. Libraries
dc.relation.ispartof2000-2019
dc.rightsCopyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright.
dc.rights.licensePer the terms of a contractual agreement, all use of this item is limited to the non-commercial use of Colorado State University and its authorized users.
dc.subjectearly literacy
dc.subjectfirst-generation
dc.subjectimmigrant
dc.subjectMexican
dc.subjectparents
dc.subjectpreschool-aged
dc.subjectliteracy
dc.subjectreading instruction
dc.subjectearly childhood education
dc.subjectHispanic American studies
dc.titleMeasuring early literacy behaviors: preschool-age children and first-generation Mexican immigrant parents
dc.typeText
dcterms.rights.dplaThis Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights (https://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/). You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
thesis.degree.disciplineEducation
thesis.degree.grantorColorado State University
thesis.degree.levelDoctoral
thesis.degree.nameDoctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

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