Family-Child Literacy Practices and Early English Literacy Skills in Pre-Primary Grade One Children in Gasabo District, Rwanda

Abstract

Rwandan children come from their homes to nursery schools with oral skills in Kinyarwanda, but most children come without any skills in the English language. Moreover, English is taught in pre-primary schools. This study aimed to examine the impact of family-child literacy practices on Early English Literacy Skills development in pre-primary grade one children in Gasabo district. A descriptive survey design was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data.  The sample size was 380 respondents (teachers, children, and their caregivers). Stratified random sampling and purposive sampling techniques were employed. Close-ended questionnaires, an interview guide, and a tool for children’s dynamic indicators of Early English Literacy Skills were used. Secondary data was obtained through document analysis. The qualitative data from the teachers’ interview was recorded using a computer tablet, responses were cleaned, different responses were classified by identifying major responses for different themes, the record was transcribed and patterns emerging from major responses were identified. Interviews and narratives were also reported verbatim in the form of extracts. Quantitative analysis began with data entry, cleaning, analysis, and interpretation. Results from teachers showed high participation of caregivers mostly from urban families towards supporting their children in early literacy activities.  Still, data from caregivers’ involvement in different literacy practices was also more evident in urban families than in rural families. Conclusively, it is clear that the origin of grade one pre-primary children's early literacy development differences originates from their families and hence the need to remove all barriers in the children’s family environment that hinder their early literacy development.