This study examined the longitudinal interplay of fathers' and mothers' literacy teaching and children's word reading skills and interest in literacy. A total of 194 second-year kindergarten (K2) children and their fathers and mothers in Hong Kong participated. At the three time points from K2 to K3 (i.e., the third year in kindergarten), fathers and mothers independently reported the frequency of their own literacy teaching activities. Mothers reported their children's interest in literacy-related activities. The children were individually assessed on Chinese word reading. The results from cross-lagged panel analysis showed that the children's prior literacy interest was associated with later frequency of parental literacy teaching, but not the other way around. No significant relations were observed between the children's word-reading skills and the literacy teaching provided by their mothers or by their fathers. Additionally, it was the children's earlier word reading skills that predicted their later development of literacy interest, but not vice versa. Thus, the parents seemed to adjust their home literacy teaching flexibly in response to their perceptions of their children's literacy interest. The findings also underscore the potential importance of word reading abilities in fostering children's literacy interest. Copyright © 2024 Springer.

This study investigated the impact of home literacy environment (HLE) on the acquisition of English as a second language (L2) and reading skills in Chinese-speaking kindergarten children. The sample was 354 kindergarten children (mean age: 60.37 months, SD = 7.25; 186 boys, 52.5%) in Hong Kong, China. Mothers completed a questionnaire measuring family socioeconomic status (SES), parent-directed HLE, and child-initiated HLE in learning English. Children were assessed on their English language and reading skills: phonological awareness, letter knowledge, vocabulary, word reading, and rapid naming. After the role of family SES was controlled, child-initiated HLE instead of parent-directed HLE was found to uniquely predict phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and rapid naming, which jointly contributed to English word reading. Family SES was also a significant correlate of cognitive-linguistic skills and English language skills. The findings highlighted the importance of child-initiated HLE in promoting children’s English language learning as L2. Copyright ©2024 Springer Netherlands.

This study investigated the cross-sectional relationships between reading-related affective and cognitive factors and reading skills among adolescents with and without dyslexia. Participants were 120 Chinese-speaking eighth graders, including 60 adolescents with dyslexia and 60 typically developing adolescents from Hong Kong, China. Adolescents completed questionnaires on general anxiety, reading anxiety, and reading self-concept. They were also assessed on measures of rapid digit naming, verbal working memory, word reading, reading fluency, and reading comprehension. The results showed that readers with dyslexia reported higher levels of general anxiety and reading anxiety and lower levels of reading self-concept than typical readers. They also showed difficulties in rapid digit naming and verbal working memory. Importantly, controlling for rapid digit naming and verbal working memory, reading self-concept was uniquely associated with word reading and reading fluency for readers with and without dyslexia. Furthermore, reading anxiety and reading self-concept were uniquely associated with reading comprehension for the two groups of readers. The findings point to the importance of considering affective factors when examining the reading skills of Chinese readers and the utility of targeting these factors when supporting the learning of adolescents with and without dyslexia. Copyright ©2024 SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities.

Background: The associations between the characteristics of the home literacy environment (HLE) and children's language and literacy skills have been established in first languages. This study investigated the longitudinal interplay between the father–child and mother–child HLE and children's English language skills as L2. Methods: In this study, 176 second-year kindergarten children (Mean = 55.06 months, SD = 4.30; 96 boys, 54.5%) were followed into their third year and were assessed on their English vocabulary and word reading. The child's father and mother completed a questionnaire on their independent HLE with their child. Results: The cross-lagged panel analysis showed that previous father–child formal HLE predicted subsequent activity levels of mother–child and father–child informal HLE. The mother–child formal HLE positively predicted the development of English word reading. A child's prior English vocabulary was positively associated with subsequent father–child informal HLE. Conclusions: The crossover effects between the father–child and mother–child HLE emphasize that the behaviours of one parent's HLE could influence one another. Family-based interventions could consider promoting both fathers' and mothers' roles in fostering children's language learning and reading development in a positive home learning environment. The implications for the effectiveness of the HLE in supporting children's English language learning as L2 are discussed. Copyright © 2025 United Kingdom Literacy Association.

This study investigated the roles of cumulative family risks and executive functioning (EF) in explaining preschool children's school readiness. The cumulative family risks comprised family socioeconomic status (SES), home literacy environment (HLE), and familial risk of dyslexia (FRD). The participants were 955 first-year kindergarten children (Mage = 3.53 years, SD=0.41, 46.60 % girls) and their parents (Mage = 35.56 years, SD=6.31, 82.7 % mothers) from Hong Kong, China. The parents completed a survey package measuring their children's school readiness, EF skills, and the three above-mentioned cumulative family risks. Hierarchical regression analysis, controlling for children's age and gender, was performed to test the unique contributions of EF and the profiles of cumulative family risks to school readiness. The results showed that in addition to the significant role of EF, HLE risk was significantly associated with school readiness. The association between EF and school readiness was significantly weaker in children with three or more family risks than in their peers. The findings highlight the necessity of developing family education and school–family–community collaboration programs to enhance the school readiness of children, especially those with multiple family risks. Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.