KNOWLEDGE OF STORYBOOKS AS A PREDICTOR OF YOUNG CHILDRENS VOCABULARY

Shared book reading provides a rich source of linguistic stimulation f or young children. The authors examined whether variations in knowledg e of storybooks (assumed to index factors such as frequency of shared reading) were related to vocabulary scores for 3- to 6-year-olds. In E xperiment 1, parents' knowledge of storybooks explained unique varianc e in children's receptive vocabulary scores after controlling for chil dren's analytic intelligence, parents' exposure to adult reading mater ial, and parents' education. In Experiment 2, children's knowledge of storybooks explained unique variance in their receptive and expressive vocabulary scores after controlling for parents' exposure to print an d socioeconomic status level. Children's knowledge of storybooks index ed cognitive factors as well as exposure. The findings obtained in the 2 experiments suggest that storybook experiences during the preschool years may be an important influence on the development of children's language skills.