MacCarthy, Virginia Leigh2024-08-142024-08-1419801980https://hdl.handle.net/1828/18833This study examined the relationship between the levels of scores obtained on the Test of Linguistic Awareness in Reading Readiness and each item of the sections from a Parent Questionnaire dealing with attitude toward reading, letter knowledge-related behaviours, reading-related behaviours, writing-related behaviours and parental support and involvement. The linguistic awareness scores and the questionnaire responses were also investigated according to the sex of the subject. The subjects were thirty-five kindergarten students and thirty-one parents of these students. Each student was tested with the Test of Linguistic Awareness for Reading Readiness and these test scores were grouped into three levels. The parents were each interviewed in their homes by using a specially designed Parent Questionnaire. The parent responses were then related to the levels of scores attained on the Linguistic Awareness Test. The results of the study indicated that particular items in the sections dea ling with letter knowledge-related behaviours, reading-related behaviours, writing-related behaviours and parental support and involvement were significant factors on the levels of scores attained on the Test of Linguistic Awareness for Reading Readiness. In addition, the sex of the subject was a significant factor on the parent responses to several items on the questionnaire. However, the items dealing with attitudes toward reading, and the sex of the subject were not significant factors on the levels of scores attained on the test. The results of t he study indicated that certain behaviours of the child in relation to letter knowledge, reading materials, writing materials and areas of parental support and involvement were significantly related to their level of linguistic awareness. In the discussion it was noted that according to the literature examined and the results of this study, children needed to experience written language in a variety of ways to enable their level of linguistic awareness to increase. It seemed that the factors that were found to be significant in terms of the child's linguistic awareness became the basis of experiences for the development of the child's strategies for reading. Finally, it was suggested that further research was needed to substantiate the parents' perceptions of their child's linguistic behaviours and to determine if the child's behaviour with written language at home was similar to the behaviour noted at school.152 pagesAvailable to the World Wide WebThesis