The Role of Family Literacy in Developing Children's Reading Interests in Kindergarten and the First Three Classes

Abstract

This study aimed at exploring the role of family literacy in
the development of reading interests of children in light of some
variables. The sample of the study consisted of 746 kindergarten and
elementary schoolchildren, studying in public schools at Irbid First
Directorate of Education and their parents. Family Literacy Scale
consisting of 48 items and Reading Interest Scale consisting of 30
items were developed and utilized to achieve the study purposes.
The results revealed a moderate level of the role of family
literacy in developing children's reading interests. Parent's beliefs
about reading ranked first, followed by instruments (tools), whereas
activities came third, and home-school connection fourth.
Although the results revealed a low degree of reading interests,
statistically significant differences in reading interests due to the child
study level were found in favor of the first three classes, whereas no
statistically significant differences due to either child gender or the
interaction between child gender and study level were found. Results
also revealed significant positive correlation between all family
literacy domains and domains of "instruments, activities, parent's
beliefs about reading, home-school connection and fathers' and
mothers' educational level, family income, family size and child's
study level" with reading interests, in addition to a relative significant
contribution of "activities, child's study level, tools, parents'
educational level, family size, home-school connection" in predicting
reading interest.