Examined the extent to which maternal linguistic input enabled children to use syntactic bootstrapping. Studied uses of 25 common verbs in speech of 57 mothers to their 1-year olds and 2-year olds. Found that verbs can be used to create informative syntactic frames, syntactic frames can cue appropriate verb class, and multiple syntactic framing…

Describes language use in parent-child interactions in the homes of three Puerto Rican kindergartners. Micro-ethnographic techniques were used to gather contextual data and audio tape recordings of adult-child interactions in the classroom and homes. It is suggested that teachers must identify the skills parents possess that are relevant to their…

A study of Head Start preschoolers and families suggests emergent literacy is supported by the Home Based Reading Project, but only when teachers teach parents strategies in simple language, offer a library of quality books, and provide materials highlighting reading practices and effective literacy interactions. Parents play a crucial role in…