Engagement with print: Low-income families and Head Start children

This research examined the types of print literacy activities low-income parents reported engaging in with their four-year-old children. There were 38 parents of children involved in Head Start, a pre-school program for children from low-income families living in the USA, who participated in this study. Children were assessed on their knowledge about print. Geographical backgrounds of families accounted for some differences in the types and frequency of print literacy activities parents reported to engage in with their children. However, there were no significant differences in children's print knowledge based on geographical factors. This research may suggest the important role of pre-school and particular parent-child activities in developing children's early print concepts.