1. Laila Briedis, Jennifer Rathsack, Lauren Saxon, Mallory Schroeder
Simone DeVore and Giuliana Miolo
University of Wisconsin – Whitewater
Departments of Special Education and Communication Sciences and Disorders
Project BIGG is an intergenerational program on campus
that provides opportunities for young children to listen to
older adults read books and tell stories. By participating in
this program, the young children can learn about older
adults, become comfortable around older adults, ask
questions, and make connections between older adults
and their own lives. In our study, we evaluated how the
young children’s perceptions about older adults changed
as they listened to books, heard stories, and created
personal relationships with the older adults in the
program.
Does participating in the intergenerational reading
program change young children’s perceptions of older
adults?
Young Children’s Perspectives on Older Adults Based on their Participation in
an Intergenerational Reading/Storytelling Program
Introduction
Research Question
Methods
Participants
Procedures
Participants:
• Met with student researchers to practice reading
strategies and how to engage the young children
during book reading and story telling.
• Read books and told personal stories to 3K and 4K
children at UW Whitewater-Children’s Center once a
week for 6 to 7 weeks.
Student Researchers:
• Met with the older adults prior to each reading
session to review the books with them.
• Interviewed children in the 3K and the 4K rooms
• Asked 14 children four questions while showing
pictures of older adults.
Results
Conclusions
Acknowledgements
Four older adults over 65 years from Fairhaven and
Children in 3K and 4K classrooms at UWW Children’s
Center.
After completing the study, we found that children …
• Responded to 4 questions using related and detailed
comments when shown pictures of Project BIGG
Readers as compared to pictures of older adults they
did not know
• Enjoyed personal connections with the
readers/storytellers (e.g. called their names, shared
personal stories)
• Showed increased comfort levels around the older
adults
Bridging the Intergenerational Gap – Project B.I.G.G.
Undergraduate Research Program
12
9
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Unrelated Comments About
Unknown Adults
Related Detailed Comments
5
27
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
Unrelated Comments About
Project BIGG Readers
Related Detailed Comments
Analyzed the interviews using qualitative and quantitative ratings
What do you see in this picture?
What else can you tell me about this
picture?
What do you think this man/woman is going
to do today?
What does this man/woman like to do?
Examples of children’s
responses about older adults
they did not know
A lady, a grandpa
She’s going to play with her
kids (related)
She goes to the toilet
(unrelated)
Examples of children’s
responses about older adults
they did know
My grandma, my great
grandpa
She knits socks (related)
I get to touch the pictures
(unrelated)
5 children described 3
pictures each about
unfamiliar older adults
9 children described 2
pictures each of
familiar older adults