Telling stories their way

Fifty-nine mother-child dyads were studied when children were 3, 4 and 5 years to examine (1) parental verbal support of children’s personal narratives, and (2) how support may relate to later literacy outcomes. Supporting narration by prompting for specific events was the most widespread and frequent scaffold when children were 3 and 4 years old. All mothers decreased the number and range of support types by the time children were 5, but specific event prompts were used more frequently by mothers of children who were readers by the end of 1st grade than by mothers of emergent readers. Mothers of readers also used more of their own narration to add to the detail of stories and to elicit responses when children were 4 and 5. Mothers of emergent readers used proportionately more prompts for non-specific events and for correction of stories. Emergent readers were less responsive than readers at all 3 time points.