摘要
Children's early family language experiences are closely associated with later language development. Although parent-child reading promotes language growth, families from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds often face economic and educational barriers to its implementation. Nursery rhymes, which integrate music and language features, require fewer resources and less specialized parental instruction, making them a promising alternative. Using 3-year longitudinal data from Taiwan (N = 1,959, Asian, 51.7% boys, Mage = 35.47 months at Time 1), this study simultaneously examined the effects of nursery rhymes and parent-child reading with children's language. Both predicted language development, with nursery rhymes (beta = .108) showing stronger effects than parent-child reading (beta = .065) among low-SES children aged three to four. The implications of our findings for early language interventions are discussed.
Our study examined how nursery rhymes and parent-child reading support young children's language development. Using three years of longitudinal data from nearly 2,000 children in Taiwan, we found both activities were positively associated with language skills. Notably, nursery rhymes showed a stronger association than parent-child reading for 3- to 4-year-olds children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Because nursery rhymes integrate music and language features and require no special materials, expenses, or advanced reading skills, they offer an accessible way for families with limited resources to foster rich language interactions. These findings highlight nursery rhymes as a practical strategy for promoting early language development among low-SES children.
Our study examined how nursery rhymes and parent-child reading support young children's language development. Using three years of longitudinal data from nearly 2,000 children in Taiwan, we found both activities were positively associated with language skills. Notably, nursery rhymes showed a stronger association than parent-child reading for 3- to 4-year-olds children from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Because nursery rhymes integrate music and language features and require no special materials, expenses, or advanced reading skills, they offer an accessible way for families with limited resources to foster rich language interactions. These findings highlight nursery rhymes as a practical strategy for promoting early language development among low-SES children.