| Summary: | The Preschool Library program (Wastie, 1996) was
evaluated over 7 weeks for its effect on preliteracy skills
of 16 3-, 4-, and 5-year olds in one daycare setting. A
control group consisted of 10 4-, and 5-year olds in another
daycare. Parent interviews and daycare observations
provided measures of initial literacy environment. The
preliteracy skills that were measured included definition
production, book handling skills , environmental print
awarenes and comments during storytime. Although some
improvement occurred in bookskills, definitions, and
storytime comments, reliable differences were not found
between control and experimental groups on individual tasks.
Trends across tasks however were consistently in favour of
the experimental group. Possible explanations are provided
as to why results did not strongly support efficacy of the
program. The most likely explanation is that a control
group was not adequately provided due to differences in
initial literacy environments. Both groups progressed
during the course of the study, likely due to support from
different sources; the experimental group received support
from the Preschool Library program, and the control group
received support from a strong literacy environment already
in place.
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