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d’orthographe usuelle fransaise. Paris: OCLD.

The early reader in Quebec: individual and family characteristics

The goal of this study, made in the Quebec city area, was to examine early readers at the kindergarten level so as to analyse their family and personal characteristics. Thirty early readers (eighteen boys and twelve girls) from five years nine months to six years eight months were compared to thirty control group children of the same age and sex. The parents of all sixty children were met in an individual interview. The results show that 1 percent of the kindergarten population possesses reading skills. Sex does not seem to be an

416 Giasson el al.

important variable while IQ shows a significant difference in favour of the early readers. Family variables were classified under two aspects: socio-economic status (SES) and literacy level. Results indicate that SES as measured by parents’ educational level, occupation and income, plays an important role as most of the early readers come from advantaged homes. The literacy level was measured by questions on the reading modelling provided by parents, their level of aspiration, the family educational environment, the family use of leisure time and parents’ intervention strategies on written language. Among these factors, level of aspiration and intervention strategies stand out as two key factors in the development of early reading skills.