Investigates the reading development of six preschool children who learned to read at home without systematic instruction. Attempts (1) to find out whether there was an identifiable process by which these children learned to read and (2) to study th role of the parents in these children's early reading acquisition. (HOD)

Discussing findings from three studies, this report focuses on questions mothers ask their children while looking at picture books and recent family photographs. In the first study, 30 mothers and their 12-, 15-, and 18-month-old children "read" a simple ABC book that had one picture for each letter in the alphabet. In the second study,…

Examines the attitudes, experiences, and practices of parents towards reading, and how this affected their children. Although many parents actively promoted reading at home, they lacked confidence in their abilities and expressed a desire for training and assistance. Discovers a need for greater communication between parents and teachers. (MJP)