Shared reading practices between parents and their pre-school children : a pilot study

Digitization has in many ways reformed how reading as an activity can be carried out. The effects of reading with other senses than merely eyesight and from other text carriers than printed paper are still being investigated by researchers. At the same time, reports indicate that children are being read to less frequently and there are worries that reading comprehension in children is decreasing as a result. The current pilot study set out to investigate shared reading practices of Swedish parents of preschool aged children in terms of what motivated and hindered shared reading among parents and toddlers as well as for what purposes and at what times of the day reading took place and what reading formats were typically used. A quantitative method was used in the form of a questionnaire and respondents were approached using a convenience sample. The study found reading to be an engaging topic among the respondents who frequently read to their children although with a somewhat traditional approach where reading happened in evenings and printed format was used. A careful attitude towards alternative reading activities and digital formats was seen and while many parents stated that interaction and response to reading happened the view on reading as a pre-bedtime activity might be limiting. Based on the results, a number of suggestions with regards to reading promotion activities focused on interaction and possibilities with digital reading as well as professional development for librarians are made.