title: Computer use and letter knowledge in pre-school children: a population-based study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the link between pre-school children's general home computer use and their letter knowledge.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of the Early Language in Victoria Study, a community cohort of 1539 four-year-old children was tested on letter knowledge as well as on non-verbal intelligence, oral language, articulation and phonological awareness. Performance on these measures was examined in relation to parent-questionnaire responses exploring home literacy environment and the amount of time children spent using the computer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive correlation between computer use and letter knowledge was found, and this association was still evident after controlling for other cognitive and environmental factors known to predict the development of letter knowledge in young children.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Greater computer use in pre-school children appears to have a positive association with emerging literacy development. Future research needs to examine the nature of that association.
authors: Department of Cognitive Science, ARC Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. anne.castles@mq.edu.au
authors: Anne
authors: A
authors: Castles
authors: Gregor M T
authors: GM
authors: McLean
authors: Edith
authors: E
authors: Bavin
authors: Lesley
authors: L
authors: Bretherton
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Carlin
authors: Margot
authors: M
authors: Prior
authors: Obioha
authors: O
authors: Ukoumunne
authors: Melissa
authors: M
authors: Wake
authors: Sheena
authors: S
authors: Reilly
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D003201:Computers / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D008297:Male; D010700:Phonetics; D011932:Reading; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014825:Vocabulary