Home literacy environment and reading comprehension in Spanish primary education
Authors: Guzmán‐Simón Fernando , Gil‐Flores Javier , Pacheco‐Costa Alejandra 
Published: February 2020

Background

Research has suggested that one of the most important variables for the development of reading comprehension is the home literacy environment, composed of the literacy interface and what is known as the limiting environment. The current study investigated Spanish children's reading comprehension in relation to these two dimensions.

Method

Data have been drawn from measures of reading competence and the Learning to Read Survey undertaken for the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) 2016 assessment in Spain. Our secondary analysis of the PIRLS 2016 data has enabled the production of two multiple regression models from a sample of 14,595 Spanish pupils aged 9–10 years old.

Results

The analyses performed have allowed us to determine the limiting environment elements that relate to the reading comprehension results. Moreover, they have highlighted the importance of the literacy interface prior to schooling. Both variables of the home literacy environment appear to be linked with the reading comprehension results taken from the PIRLS 2016 and may orientate the improvement of reading skills at home.

Conclusions

Our research supports the implementation of family literacy programmes in Spain, especially for low‐income families, which might enhance their literacy interaction with their children in the early stages. The promotion of family literacy programmes oriented to preschool children could improve not only emergent literacy skills but also the social value of literacy from a sociocultural perspective.

Highlights

What is already known about this topic

Reading comprehension is a crucial skill in education. Owing to its links with the common teaching and learning methods in primary education, a weak or late development of reading comprehension may impede academic outcomes.

Literacy development may be influenced by the socioeconomic status of families. Although important, there are other familial factors influencing children's literacy development. For this reason, the concept ‘home literacy environment' offers a wider perspective on the nature of the links between families and literacy.

The home literacy environment has been described as the mixture of two different dimensions: the literacy interface and the limiting environment. An analysis of both dimensions shows the importance of the activities promoted and carried out by families (the literacy interface).

What this paper adds

There is a scarcity of research about the development of reading comprehension among primary pupils and its relationship with the home literacy environment in Spain. Family context is currently one of the less well‐understood aspects of the Spanish educational system.

The current research points to the Spanish families' limiting environment as one of the elements that may predetermine, from early childhood, the later development of reading comprehension.

The research identifies variables within the home literacy environment which are more relevant to the development of reading comprehension.

Implications for theory, policy or practice

The first implication is that literacy development and reading comprehension depend not only on the socioeconomic status but also on the number, nature and diversity of activities offered within a family. Improvement and enrichment of these activities could enhance pupils' reading comprehension.

Both a limiting environment and the literacy interface have a fundamental role in Spanish pupils' reading comprehension, in line with previous research in other countries. Consequently, family programmes that aim to address specific aspects of the literacy interface and limiting environment could improve the literacy development of children.

At the moment, for the most part, the Spanish education system has little opportunity to influence the limiting environment of children. Therefore, there needs to be more emphasis on the implementation of programmes designed for families, supporting and assessing activities related to the literacy interface. In Spain, these programmes are rare; so, for this reason, educational institutions and relevant social agents should collaborate to design and implement such programmes.