Early language outcomes in Argentinean toddlers: Associations with home literacy,screen exposure and joint media engagement |
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| Authors: | Julieta Medawar Ángel Javier Tabullo Lucas Gustavo Gago-Galvagno |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Facultad de Educación, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (UNCUYO), Mendoza, Argentina;2. Instituto de Ciencias Humanas, Sociales y Ambientales (INCIHUSA), CCT-Mendoza, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-Argentina, Grupo de Lingüística y Neurobiología Experimental del Lenguaje (LyNEL), Godoy Cruz, Argentina;3. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina |
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| Abstract: | This study aimed to analyse the contribution of mothers' home literacy beliefs and practices and the quantity and quality of screen media exposure on Argentinean toddler's language. In addition, we considered parent–child joint engagement, as well as adult scaffolding behaviours during the use of electronic devices. A total of 465 mothers of 18–36 months old children completed an online survey including: the MacArthur Bates CDI, home literacy, screen exposure, joint engagement and scaffolding questionnaires. We observed positive effects of literacy beliefs, PC times and verbal scaffolding on language outcomes. TV exposure contributed negatively to vocabulary and, along with educational content, to sentence use. Shared reading and screen media experiences can be an opportunity for language stimulation, provided there is dialogue and joint engagement. Passive screen exposure and inadequate content may be detrimental for toddlers' language outcomes, probably by displacement of socially significant interactions. |
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| Keywords: | home literacy environment joint engagement screen media exposure toddlerhood vocabulary |
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