Knowledge Preschool-Age Children Bring to Literacy Tasks: The Importance of "Not Holding Back."

A study focused on children's alphabet knowledge and name writing ability to investigate between-group differences. Subjects were 22 children (mean age 57 months) in a private preschool located in a suburban, predominantly upper-middle income area and 12 children (mean age 56 months) in a private, subsidized day care center situated in a metropolitan area within walking distance to low income neighborhoods. The performances of both groups of children were compared on two measures of alphabet knowledge: alphabet recitation and name writing. Results indicated that children in both groups varied similarly in their performance of alphabet recitations. Comparisons of the two groups on name writing revealed differences between the groups, although the two groups did not differ in terms of the ranges of name writing ability. Findings undermine the notion that early literacy knowledge is primarily a function of family income. Findings support the need for purposeful inclusion of literacy activities in preschool curricula. (Contains 24 references and three figures of data.) (RS)