Date of Award

5-2015

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences

First Advisor

Dr. Yvette D. Hyter

Second Advisor

Dr. Janice Bedrosian

Third Advisor

Carrie Kennedy

Keywords

Children, Spanish, books, preliteracy, Latino

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

As of July 1, 2013, the latest census figures indicate that there are approximately 54 million Latinosliving in the U.S. (US Census Bureau, 2013). However, many Latino children still do not receive the services or resources they need to perform well academically. The primary aim of this research study is to determine if the books available to Spanish-speaking Latino1 populations in two Michigan Counties contain features that might be used to facilitate beginning pre-literacy skills.

Children’s Spanish-language books from bookstores and public libraries were analyzed to determine the presence of features that might facilitate print awareness, phonological awareness, and word knowledge. Results showed that 122 (98.4%) of the 124 top selling books could be used to facilitate pre-literacy skills, and of these 122 books 102 (83.6%) might be used to facilitate print awareness, 57 (46.7%) phonological awareness, and 46 (37.7%), word knowledge. Various book features that might be used to facilitate pre-literacy skills were varying forms of typeface, rhyming, and content books. Thirty-seven (29.8%) of the 124 books assessed appeared multicultural.

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