The impact of a caregiver workshop regarding storybook reading on pre-kindergarten children's readiness for reading

This study examined if, by providing caregivers with a workshop regarding effective storybook reading coupled with the receipt of storybooks, Pre-Kindergarten students' emergent literacy development would significantly increase. Pre-Kindergarten children attending two Head Start centers in the Southeastern U.S. participated in the study. Twelve Pre-Kindergarten children comprised the experimental group while ten Pre-Kindergarten children were subjects of the control group. The BRIGANCE CIBS-R Readiness for Reading assessment was used to determine the emergent literacy development of the subjects. The ANCOVA statistical method indicated no significant gain between the experimental group and the control group. A paired samples t-test revealed a significant gain in emergent literacy development for both the experimental group and the control group. On a survey regarding reading interest, caregivers indicated an improvement in student attitude and interest in reading following the workshop. Therefore, this study found that a caregiver workshop on storybook reading may lead to a possible positive influence on student attitude and interest in reading while indicating no significant difference in emergent literacy development for the students whose caregivers attended the workshop.;Keywords. Emergent literacy development, storybook reading, dialogic reading.