Abstract

Because language-related skills in early childhood can predict reading and writing skills in school, as well as social engagement in adulthood, it is important to implement concrete actions to assist in the development of language skills among these children (Council of Ministers of Education, Canada [CMEC], 2021). Knowledge of existing research can help guide the planning of individualized support for families when it comes to expanding their child’s receptive vocabulary. This article describes the results of a two-year research project exploring the evolution of a support structure for families, of receptive vocabulary for children through Peabody testing (PPVT-R; Dunn & Dunn, 1981), and of the literacy habits (speaking, reading and writing) of families via a questionnaire. The results of this mixed method research reveal that all of these parents require significant support. The children have increased the frequency at which they read, as well as the frequency at which they leaf through books. Among the most telling results, we saw that most of the children in the study have expanded their receptive vocabulary in the books they read.

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