Educators’ infant-addressed language and gestures during shared reading in Australian and Chinese early childhood settings: a comparative study

Shared reading has been encouraged in early childhood education and care (ECEC) settings in many countries. While previous research has examined educators’ language use with infants during shared reading in Western contexts, little is known about whether and how shared reading is enacted in different cultures, nor how educators’ language use interacts with non-verbal communication modes during shared reading. Adopting a cross-cultural, multimodal perspective, this study explored how educators in Australia and China use language and gestures during shared reading with infants. Using a case study approach, eight educators (four per country) were video recorded during naturally occurring shared reading. Their infant-addressed language and gestures were coded and examined in relation to contextual differences. The findings revealed clear differences: Australian educators afforded infants greater autonomy in seating and book choice and used more mental processes, statements, and gestures, whereas Chinese educators structured participation more tightly and relied more on material processes and commands. The study contributes to cross-cultural awareness of the ways in which picture books are shared with infants in ECEC settings in the two countries.