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In many schools, independent silent reading of self-selected books is used to promote reading. However, self-selection may be insufficient to counter negative reading experiences, particularly when students choose books not attuned to their reading level and interest. Two studies experimentally tested whether personalized expert guidance when selecting books could prevent a reading attitude decline. Study 1 focused on readers in prevocational secondary education (Grades 7 and 8; N = 136). Study 2 included younger readers from primary education (Grades 4–6, N = 99). Students in the experimental condition met with a librarian to discuss book choices every two weeks for three months. In both studies, the intervention stabilized the reading attitude decline, although, in Study 1, only for more advanced readers. In Study 2, reading comprehension of the most proficient readers also improved. This indicates that guidance in selecting books can preserve students' reading attitude and increase reading proficiency growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored longitudinal associations between early shared reading at 2 to 3 years of age and children’s later academic achievement. It examined the mediating role of children’s vocabulary and early academic skills, and the moderating effects of family’s socioeconomic status. Data were drawn from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (n = 4,768). Academic achievement was assessed at 8 to 9 years of age via standardized national test scores of literacy and mathematics achievement. Results indicated that early shared reading was associated with children’s academic achievement directly and indirectly through receptive vocabulary and early academic skills. Also, the frequency of early shared reading predicted the outcome measures, over and above other home learning activities. Associations were stronger among low and middle socioeconomic status groups compared to the high socioeconomic status group. We conclude that shared reading offers unique opportunities for adults to teach young children new words and concepts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study reports on 9-year-old monozygotic twin girls who fail to make any progress in learning basic mathematics in primary education. We tested the hypothesis that the twins' core maths problems were deficits in number sense that manifested as impairments in approximate and small number systems, resulting in impairment in nonsymbolic as well as in symbolic processing. While age-matched controls (eight typically developing girls) scored highly, the twins scored at chance on all number sense tasks. More specifically, on a nonsymbolic comparison task, even in the simplest ratio condition of 1:2, and on a subitizing task including only numbers under 4, the twins performed at chance and significantly below the same age control group. Responsiveness to an intervention promoting number sense is discussed. As differences between verbal and performance IQ suggest, there seems to be a high degree of specificity in the twins' developmental number sense delays. The concomitant impairments for visual–spatial processing and working memory in the twins might explain the failure to develop number sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Dutch website Bereslim (http:// www.bereslim.nl) provides digital picture storybooks for three- to seven-year-olds for daily use. The present study investigates whether this new opportunity to enhance linguistic development actively assists preschool children from low- and high-educated families in an equal manner. We looked closely at the characteristics of the 1781 persons who visited the Bereslim website between March and October 2006, when the digital books were available free of charge. To get access, visitors had to complete a brief questionnaire about characteristics of the child (date of birth, gender, school and grade) and parents (educational level, membership library, number of storybooks bought in the last six months, and how they found the website), how the child spent his or her leisure time, whether he or she used (new) media (i.e. amount of time and content of shows/ games/books and favourite websites, programs and books), whether the parents participated in different activities from their children and if their children already are familiar with the five books on the site. We found that the bulk of low-educated families who most need this additional opportunity of literacy enhancement were absent. Attempts to create new chances for at-risk children from low-educated families have often failed, as it did this time in another natural experiment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Explores the relationship between the quality of the mother-child attachment and how often mothers read to their children. Correlation of the quality of parent-child attachment to the parents' own experience of attachment; Determining maternal state of mind with respect to attachment.

Explores the relationship between quality of attachment in infancy and preschooler's reading interests and skills. Testing of children and their mothers using the Strange Situation procedure; Follow-up study which measured the children's intelligence with the Leiden Diagnostic Test; Finding that after three years the securely attached children showed more interest in written material than did the insecurely attached children, regardless of their intelligence and the amount of preparatory reading instruction.