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Name-Writing Skills of Low-Income Taiwanese Children: The Concurrent Predictive Effects of Emergent Reading and Vocabulary Ability

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Abstract

The perspective of emergent literacy was applied to investigate the name-writing skills of 4-year-old, low-income Mandarin Chinese-speaking children in Taiwan. One hundred and eleven children in Taiwan were recruited from 12 public preschools. Children were individually assessed with a name-writing task, the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised, book and print concepts, and recognition of Chinese characters and radicals. Analyses of correlations and stepwise regressions were conducted. The results indicated the following: (1) children’s age, vocabulary ability, book and print concepts, and recognition of Chinese characters and radicals were significantly correlated with name-writing skills, whereas the total number of name strokes was not, and (2) recognition of Chinese characters and radicals made the greatest contribution (30%) to explain the variance in name-writing skills, followed by PPVT-R score (3%). A discussion and implications are provided in relation to early writing skills and instruction.

Résumé

La théorie de l'alphabétisation émergente a été appliquée pour étudier le développement de l'écriture du nom des enfants de quatre ans parlant le chinois mandarin et ayant de faibles revenus à Taiwan. Cent onze enfants taïwanais ont été recrutés dans 12 écoles maternelles publiques. Les enfants ont été évalués individuellement avec une tâche d'écriture de nom, le test mesurant l’échelle de vocabulaire en images Peabody -édition Révisée (EVIP), les concepts de livre et d'imprimé, et la reconnaissance des caractères et radicaux chinois. Des analyses de corrélations et des régressions par paliers ont été effectuées. Les résultats ont indiqué ce qui suit : (1) l'âge des enfants, leur niveau de vocabulaire, les concepts de livre et d'imprimé, et la reconnaissance des caractères et radicaux chinois étaient significativement corrélés avec le développement de l'écriture des noms, alors que le nombre total de traits de nom ne l'était pas. (2) la reconnaissance des caractères et des radicaux chinois a contribué le plus (30 %) à expliquer la variance du développement de l'écriture des noms, suivie par le score à l'EVIP (3 %). Une discussion et les implications sont fournies en relation avec le développement et l'enseignement de l'écriture précoce.

Resumen

La teoría de la alfabetización emergente fue aplicada para investigar el desarrollo de la escritura del nombre de niños de cuatro años, bajos ingresos y hablantes de chino mandarín en Taiwán. Se reclutó a ciento once niños en Taiwán de 12 escuelas públicas de preescolar. Los niños fueron evaluados de forma individual con una tarea de escritura del nombre, el Test de Vocabulario en Imágenes Peabody Revisado (PPVT-R, por sus siglas en inglés), conceptos de libros e impresiones y reconocimiento de caracteres y radicales chinos. Se llevaron a cabo análisis de correlaciones y regresiones graduales. Los resultados indicaron lo siguiente: (1) la edad de los niños, capacidad de vocabulario, conceptos de libros e impresiones y reconocimiento de caracteres y radicales chinos se correlacionaron de manera significativa con el desarrollo de la escritura del nombre; no así con el número total de trazos del nombre. (2) el reconocimiento de caracteres y radicales chinos tuvo la mayor contribución (30 %) para explicar la variedad en el desarrollo de escritura del nombre, seguido del resultado PPVT-R (3 %). Se proporciona un debate e implicaciones en relación con el desarrollo y la instrucción temprana de la escritura.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants to Wen-Feng Lai from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan (NSC100-2410-H-003-106). The author would like to thank the children, their families, and the teachers who participated in the project.

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  1. Department of Human Development and Family Studies, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, 106, Taiwan

    Wen-Feng Lai

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Lai, WF. Name-Writing Skills of Low-Income Taiwanese Children: The Concurrent Predictive Effects of Emergent Reading and Vocabulary Ability. IJEC 56, 59–77 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13158-022-00342-x

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