Early Childhood

Vocabulary, Self-Control Crucial in Early Literacy Skills, Study Says

By Maureen Kelleher — February 09, 2011 1 min read
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A study in the current issue of Early Childhood Research Quarterly says prekindergarten teachers are doing a good job overall in teaching early literacy skills, but should focus more on vocabulary instruction and exercises that build self-control as part of a broader curriculum.

This finding is based on assessment of a cohort Michigan 3- and 4-year-olds attending preschool. Michigan State researcher Lori Skibbe and colleagues are among the first to directly assess self-regulation in this age group. Researchers found children who spent two years in preschool did better in literacy skills: learning the alphabet and understanding how letters come together to form words.

A version of this news article first appeared in the Early Years blog.