Susan Sonnenschein
Biographic Data
| ID | 3838749 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Susan Sonnenschein |
| GIVEN NAMES | Susan |
| FAMILY NAME | Sonnenschein |
| SIGNATURE | SONNENSCHEIN S |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Maryland, Baltimore County |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-7898-2882 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 33 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 60 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 33 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1977 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 4 |
Revisiting the Home Literacy Environment in the Digital Age
Decades of research have documented the critical role of parental practices, beliefs, and resources in shaping children’s literacy development. This study examined how home practices shape children’s literacy engagement across both digital and traditional formats. Parents of children aged 4–9 years (N = 357) filled out a Qualtrics survey about the home learning environment, including beliefs, confidence, attitudes, resources, and practices. Resul…
Parenting and Coping During a Crisis
The COVID-19 pandemic unprecedentedly challenged families worldwide, yet little is known about how parents from diverse cultural contexts retrospectively interpret their parenting roles and coping strategies. This study explores parenting adjustments two years after the pandemic’s onset among five cultural groups: Bulgarian and Spanish (Eastern and Western Europe), Israeli Arabs and Jews (Middle East), and U.S. families. Fifty parents, primarily …
Technology Access and Financial Stress
Technology is essential in higher education, yet disparities in access disproportionately affect first-generation college students. This study examines how technology access and financial stress impact academic performance for first-generation (FGCS) and continuing-generation college students (CGCS). Students (N = 430) were asked to reflect on their experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly their technology access and financial stres…
Introduction to Pedagogical Possibilities for Early Childhood Education
The early childhood period (from birth to age 8) is critical in developing children’s foundational educational and academic skills (e [...]
The Covid-19 Pandemic
This study explored young children’s (2–8 years old) daily activities during the first lockdown with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic (spring/2020, T1) and a year later (spring/2021, T2) from a cross-cultural perspective. It describes parent–child literacy and digital activities in Bulgaria, Israel, and Spain. Participating parents (747 in T1 and 432 in T2) answered online questionnaires about the frequency of parent–child literacy activitie…
Teaching and Learning during a Global Pandemic
COVID-19 has had a major impact on education, with many children attending school online for more than a year. To understand the implications of online learning for U.S. teachers (Study 1; N = 49) and families (Study 2; N = 189) of elementary school students, we administered a survey in spring 2021, about one year into the pandemic. Participants answered questions about the instructional modality and format, challenges managing instruction, and c…
Elementary-School Students’ Use of Digital Devices at Home to Support Learning Pre- and Post-Covid-19
As access to digital devices has grown, children in the United States are increasingly making use of digital devices at home. This paper reports two studies with data from two samples, one collected in 2017 and one in 2022, documenting how families of elementary-aged children make use of digital devices at home to support their children’s learning in reading, writing, mathematics, and science. Of particular interest was whether parents have repor…
Elementary School Children’s Home Learning Environments
It is well accepted that the home learning environment impacts school performance; however, much of the previous research has focused on preschool children. This exploratory study used an online, Qualtrics survey to ask parents (n = 177) of elementary students about the home learning environment. Our research questions addressed (1) the amount of time children spend on mathematics, reading, written language, and science at home, and differences b…
Preschool Classroom Libraries in Turkey
The two studies in this paper considered the use of the classroom library as a means of socializing mathematics development in Turkish preschoolers. Study 1 (n = 80) documented whether classes had a library, its contents, and whether/how teachers encouraged children to use the library. Study 2 (n = 47) investigated the teachers’ confidence in teaching mathematics and the means that they used. Both studies used online surveys that were distributed…
Introduction to the Special Issue “Mathematics Education
Children’s mathematics achievements differ based on a variety of factors, including country of origin and cultural or economic background [...]
Dominican, Salvadoran, and Chinese Immigrant Parents’ Reasoning About School Readiness Skills
School Readiness Beliefs of Dominican and Salvadoran Immigrant Parents
Parents are children’s first teachers, and it is critical that they understand what children need to be successful in school. This study examined the school readiness beliefs of 43 Latinx immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic and El Salvador. Parents participated in semi-structured interviews regarding which skills their children should have before starting kindergarten, how they perceived their role in helping children acquire these skil…
“This will likely affect his entire life”
U.S. Parents’ Reports of Assisting Their Children with Distance Learning during Covid-19
COVID-19 has caused increased stress among U.S. adults, with many reporting concerns assisting their children with distance learning due to school closures. This study surveyed U.S. parents–most of whom were middle-aged, White, affluent, and female–to learn what types of distance learning activities parents engaged in with their children during COVID-19; whether these types of activities varied by the child’s age; and whether there was an associa…
Facilitating Preschool Children’s Mathematics Development in China, Japan, and the United States
The two studies examined in this paper compare the different mathematical opportunities provided in preschool classrooms in China, Japan, and the United States, with an emphasis on mathematical-themed books in classroom libraries. Study one presents the results of an online survey to examining the content of preschool classroom libraries in China (N = 134), Japan (N = 168), and the United States (N = 291). Study two presents data obtained from se…
Home Learning Environments for Young Children in the U.S. During Covid-19
Research Findings: During COVID-19 many countries, including the U.S., implemented stay-at-home policies that closed most schools and childcare centers. This research focuses on the home learning environment reported by parents for U.S. children ages two through nine during the COVID-19 crisis. Parents in the U.S. (N = 162) completed an online survey of multiple choice and short-answer questions about the home literacy and digital environment. Al…
Poverty, Parent Involvement, and Children’s Reading Skills
Research Findings: Parent involvement is a critical way for children to learn about the importance of education and develop reading skills. Unfortunately, not all low-income parents are able to be involved in their children’s education, which can have negative implications for children’s reading development. The present study tested if the strength of the relation between low-income parents’ involvement and children’s reading skills in first grad…
The Effects of Covid-19 on Young Children’s and Their Parents’ Activities at Home
The eight studies in this special section focus on different aspects of young children's home learning environments during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Children and their families came from four different countries- – mainland China, Hong Kong, Israel, Spain, and the U.S. Of interest in all but one of the studies, was the nature of young children's home learning environment, parents' engagement with their children's learning, and fact…
Mathematics Learning Opportunities in Preschool
Research Findings: These two studies examined the different mathematical opportunities provided in preschool classrooms, with a particular focus on the availability of mathematical-themed books in classroom libraries. In study one, we interviewed teachers (N= 150) using an online survey to assess the content of preschool classroom libraries. In study two, we interviewed eight preschool teachers to examine their perceptions of how they teach mathe…
Alcohol Consumption during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Emerging but limited evidence suggests that alcohol consumption has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed: (1) whether drinking behaviors changed during the pandemic; and, (2) how those changes were impacted by COVID-19-related stress. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey with a convenience sample of U.S. adults over 21 years in May 2020. We conducted adjusted linear regressions to assess COVID-19 stress and alcohol …
Learning at home
This study investigated the beliefs parents of preschoolers ( N = 126) have for facilitating their children’s reading and mathematics development. The study used an online survey distributed via social media to examine parents’ views of their children’s home-based reading and mathematics engagement, parents’ confidence to support their children’s reading and mathematics development, and the information they received and would like to receive from…
Children’s perceptions of their learning and education
Latina mothers’ engagement in children’s math learning in the early school years
The Relation Between the Type and Amount of Instruction and Growth in Children’s Reading Competencies
A latent growth model was used to investigate the longer term efficacy of phonics and integrated language arts instruction as well as amount of such instruction on children’s reading development, using the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study data set (kindergarten through fifth grade). Type and amount of instruction were derived from teachers’ ratings. Children’s entry-level skills and ethnicity were predictors of childre…
The influence of home-based reading interactions on 5-year-olds’ reading motivations and early literacy development
The influence of home-based reading interactions on 5-year-olds’ reading motivations and early literacy development
Latina mothers’ engagement in children’s math learning in the early school years
The effects of redundant communications on listeners
The effects of redundant communications on the behavior of listeners
How feedback from a listener affects children's referential communication skills
Learning at home
This study investigated the beliefs parents of preschoolers ( N = 126) have for facilitating their children’s reading and mathematics development. The study used an online survey distributed via social media to examine parents’ views of their children’s home-based reading and mathematics engagement, parents’ confidence to support their children’s reading and mathematics development, and the information they received and would like to receive from…
Children’s perceptions of their learning and education
The Relation Between the Type and Amount of Instruction and Growth in Children’s Reading Competencies
A latent growth model was used to investigate the longer term efficacy of phonics and integrated language arts instruction as well as amount of such instruction on children’s reading development, using the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study data set (kindergarten through fifth grade). Type and amount of instruction were derived from teachers’ ratings. Children’s entry-level skills and ethnicity were predictors of childre…
Development of referential communication skills
In order to be an effective verbal communicator, one needs to give messages that reflect the demands of the task and the needs of one's listener. This study investigated developmentally how sensitive speakers are to the needs of their listeners. Of interest was whether children vary their production of redundant messages (saying more than the minimal necessary to be informative) as a function of sharing common experiences with a listener. First- …
The development of referential communication skills
Mothers' sensitivity to the competencies of their preschoolers on a concept-learning task
Development of referential communication
A listener in a communicative interaction must decide whether or not a speaker's message has been informative. Young children often base their assessments of ambiguous messages on the age of the speaker rather than the actual message perhaps because they lack knowledge of the communicative rule that a message must distinguish referent from nonreferents. This research investigated whether young children typically attend to the age of the speaker w…
Predispositions Revisited
Robert M. Liebert, Laurie A. Cohen, Christopher Joyce, Sharon Murrel, Linda Nisonoff, Susan Sonnenschein; Predispositions Revisited, Journal of Communicati
The effects of redundant communications on the behavior of listeners
How feedback from a listener affects children's referential communication skills
The effects of redundant communications on listeners
The development of referential communication skills
Development of referential communication
A listener in a communicative interaction must decide whether or not a speaker's message has been informative. Young children often base their assessments of ambiguous messages on the age of the speaker rather than the actual message perhaps because they lack knowledge of the communicative rule that a message must distinguish referent from nonreferents. This research investigated whether young children typically attend to the age of the speaker w…
Development of referential communication skills
In order to be an effective verbal communicator, one needs to give messages that reflect the demands of the task and the needs of one's listener. This study investigated developmentally how sensitive speakers are to the needs of their listeners. Of interest was whether children vary their production of redundant messages (saying more than the minimal necessary to be informative) as a function of sharing common experiences with a listener. First- …
Mothers' sensitivity to the competencies of their preschoolers on a concept-learning task
The influence of home-based reading interactions on 5-year-olds’ reading motivations and early literacy development
The Relation Between the Type and Amount of Instruction and Growth in Children’s Reading Competencies
A latent growth model was used to investigate the longer term efficacy of phonics and integrated language arts instruction as well as amount of such instruction on children’s reading development, using the nationally representative Early Childhood Longitudinal Study data set (kindergarten through fifth grade). Type and amount of instruction were derived from teachers’ ratings. Children’s entry-level skills and ethnicity were predictors of childre…
Children’s perceptions of their learning and education
Latina mothers’ engagement in children’s math learning in the early school years
Alcohol Consumption during the Covid-19 Pandemic
Emerging but limited evidence suggests that alcohol consumption has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study assessed: (1) whether drinking behaviors changed during the pandemic; and, (2) how those changes were impacted by COVID-19-related stress. We conducted a cross-sectional online survey with a convenience sample of U.S. adults over 21 years in May 2020. We conducted adjusted linear regressions to assess COVID-19 stress and alcohol …
Learning at home
This study investigated the beliefs parents of preschoolers ( N = 126) have for facilitating their children’s reading and mathematics development. The study used an online survey distributed via social media to examine parents’ views of their children’s home-based reading and mathematics engagement, parents’ confidence to support their children’s reading and mathematics development, and the information they received and would like to receive from…
U.S. Parents’ Reports of Assisting Their Children with Distance Learning during Covid-19
COVID-19 has caused increased stress among U.S. adults, with many reporting concerns assisting their children with distance learning due to school closures. This study surveyed U.S. parents–most of whom were middle-aged, White, affluent, and female–to learn what types of distance learning activities parents engaged in with their children during COVID-19; whether these types of activities varied by the child’s age; and whether there was an associa…
Facilitating Preschool Children’s Mathematics Development in China, Japan, and the United States
The two studies examined in this paper compare the different mathematical opportunities provided in preschool classrooms in China, Japan, and the United States, with an emphasis on mathematical-themed books in classroom libraries. Study one presents the results of an online survey to examining the content of preschool classroom libraries in China (N = 134), Japan (N = 168), and the United States (N = 291). Study two presents data obtained from se…
Home Learning Environments for Young Children in the U.S. During Covid-19
Research Findings: During COVID-19 many countries, including the U.S., implemented stay-at-home policies that closed most schools and childcare centers. This research focuses on the home learning environment reported by parents for U.S. children ages two through nine during the COVID-19 crisis. Parents in the U.S. (N = 162) completed an online survey of multiple choice and short-answer questions about the home literacy and digital environment. Al…
Poverty, Parent Involvement, and Children’s Reading Skills
Research Findings: Parent involvement is a critical way for children to learn about the importance of education and develop reading skills. Unfortunately, not all low-income parents are able to be involved in their children’s education, which can have negative implications for children’s reading development. The present study tested if the strength of the relation between low-income parents’ involvement and children’s reading skills in first grad…
The Effects of Covid-19 on Young Children’s and Their Parents’ Activities at Home
The eight studies in this special section focus on different aspects of young children's home learning environments during the early part of the COVID-19 pandemic. Children and their families came from four different countries- – mainland China, Hong Kong, Israel, Spain, and the U.S. Of interest in all but one of the studies, was the nature of young children's home learning environment, parents' engagement with their children's learning, and fact…
Mathematics Learning Opportunities in Preschool
Research Findings: These two studies examined the different mathematical opportunities provided in preschool classrooms, with a particular focus on the availability of mathematical-themed books in classroom libraries. In study one, we interviewed teachers (N= 150) using an online survey to assess the content of preschool classroom libraries. In study two, we interviewed eight preschool teachers to examine their perceptions of how they teach mathe…
Elementary School Children’s Home Learning Environments
It is well accepted that the home learning environment impacts school performance; however, much of the previous research has focused on preschool children. This exploratory study used an online, Qualtrics survey to ask parents (n = 177) of elementary students about the home learning environment. Our research questions addressed (1) the amount of time children spend on mathematics, reading, written language, and science at home, and differences b…
Preschool Classroom Libraries in Turkey
The two studies in this paper considered the use of the classroom library as a means of socializing mathematics development in Turkish preschoolers. Study 1 (n = 80) documented whether classes had a library, its contents, and whether/how teachers encouraged children to use the library. Study 2 (n = 47) investigated the teachers’ confidence in teaching mathematics and the means that they used. Both studies used online surveys that were distributed…
Introduction to the Special Issue “Mathematics Education
Children’s mathematics achievements differ based on a variety of factors, including country of origin and cultural or economic background [...]
Dominican, Salvadoran, and Chinese Immigrant Parents’ Reasoning About School Readiness Skills
School Readiness Beliefs of Dominican and Salvadoran Immigrant Parents
Parents are children’s first teachers, and it is critical that they understand what children need to be successful in school. This study examined the school readiness beliefs of 43 Latinx immigrant parents from the Dominican Republic and El Salvador. Parents participated in semi-structured interviews regarding which skills their children should have before starting kindergarten, how they perceived their role in helping children acquire these skil…
Psychology (32 works) · Developmental psychology (18 works) · Mathematics education (14 works) · Medicine (12 works) · Parental Involvement in Education (12 works) · Pedagogy (12 works) · Child Development and Digital Technology (11 works) · Early Childhood Education and Development (11 works) · Computer Science (8 works) · Linguistics (6 works)