The effects of reading during early childhood: A study of women’s university students born in the 1990s

Reading is said to be important to the development and education of children. Moreover, fact-finding sur veys performed on children are being cited, mainly by various local governments（i.e. boards of education）. This study examines students who hope to become librarians, a profession which connects children with reading, and investigates the context for practicing reading in early childhood. What sort of reading experi ences did these students have during early childhood, and what encouraged them to practice reading? This study analyzes the investigation that these students filled out reading experience during early childhoods, from their current perspective as adults, focusing on this context. Specifically, a descriptive survey was performed on students taking the librarian curriculum at Mukogawa Women’s University over the two years of FY 2011 and 2012. The librarian curriculum is taken by about 150 to 200 students in the School of Letters Department of Japanese Language and Literature, and Junior College Division Department of Japanese Language. Students enrolled in the curriculum have a generally positive at titude toward reading. How does an appreciation for books, combined with the primary content and aims of the librarian curriculum, affect the disposition of the librarian? Differences became clear, corresponding with the development of the students during preschool, lower ele mentary school, upper elementary school, and onward. For example, a variety of contexts corresponding with development were seen, such as influence from early childhood living situations that conferred on the chil dren a desire to read, contact with family members who encouraged reading, and momentum toward reading imparted by relationships. In summary, the study confirmed that the richness of early childhood experiences with reading among stu dents in the librarian curriculum is important to their appreciation for reading, encouragement of appreciation for reading in others, and application of reading in learning activities. Finally, based on these results, promo tion and enhancements of initiatives aimed at establishing reading during early childhood were proposed