Children are our future and for their future and therefore, ours to be a bright one, they must have a positive beginning. There have been many studies about the plight of the poor and the language/ comprehension gap between them and their more affluent classmates. Many programs have been started in an attempt to eliminate the word gap between children of different socioeconomic background; nothing seems to be a permanent solution. The web site zero to three states “A child’s brain undergoes an amazing period of development from birth to three producing 700 new neural connections every second. This growing brain development is influenced by many factors, including a child’s relationships, experience, and environment.” During the zero to three stages, a child needs to be given positive reinforcement along with meaningful conversation. During this critical learning period, it is likely that a low-income parent spends less time talking to their babies than wealthy parents. It is estimated that in a year, lower income children have had fewer language …show more content…
This discrepancy in word experiences seems to be one of the leading causes of the word gap. …show more content…
For children of lower income communities to rise out of poverty, they must be educated; and for them to prosper in school and receive an education they must breach the word gap and create a sound foundation in the language. With a strong foundation in language, reading and comprehension become easier to grasp; therefore school is more enjoyable, and they are less likely to fail. The word gap is a drawback not only for the low-income community but also to our country at large, as one of the authors said, “talk now or pay later”
In some classrooms, teachers’ subconsciously use their language to establish negative relationships with literacy. For example, some teachers use reading and writing as a punishment or reference it as work instead of fun. Johnston (2004) said “ the way a teacher talks can position students differently in relations to what they are doing, learning, or studying” (p.9). In my opinion, this means that language has the power to influence student’s perception. Therefore, what teachers say and how they say it impacts how students feel about themselves and the world. But, some teacher may not realize how their words and tone towards literacy influences how children feel about it. In general, I think children in urban schools need to be exposed to language and literacy experiences that are positive and engaging. Instead of using reading and writing as a consequence, it could be used as a reward, or make it an option during free time just like any other fun activity. In general, I believe some teachers subconsciously use language to create negative relationships between students and literacy, but if teachers would be more mindful of the undertone of their language, children would perceive literacy differently (Johnston,
Within my placement we had children from lower and middle class, and also a few higher class children. This allowed me to see how different classes have different language skills. A child from a low class family would use broken English, as they came from an area which used a lot of slang, and wouldn’t speak in full sentences. Where as those brought up middle class areas, have stronger English skills and are able to communicate their needs more effectively. So when they mix, some children can find it difficult to understand other children, which could discourage them from
The first issue that has been identified as a significant problem involved in the Achievement gap, is that it is partially the fault of America's educational system. Because of the suffering economy that has spurred the increasing lack of basic necessities in schools across America, there are an increasing number of children who are not being properly educated. Whether it is a deficiency in supplies, poor teacher selection, or administration and staff who are indifferent to the students at their sch...
Jessica Lahey in the article “poor kids and the word gap” asserts that the condition of American children, and their eventual role in society, is determined well before their first day of kindergarten. She argues that the “word gap” (poor families not being able to talk with their children as much as wealthy ones) affects these children in a huge way. Because of the lack of word development that happens to a child belonging to a poor family, she suggests that any parents; poor or rich, should talk, sing, and even read to a child to help them with an overall great life experience. Talking to a young child everyday can change their whole future.
In “The Human Cost of an Illiterate Society”, Kozol writes how the illiterate people struggle in our society. Without having an education that works with the society a person lives in, English for example, it can cause multiple issues when they need to communicate with others. Kozol writes, “They cannot understand the written details on a health insurance form. They cannot read the waivers that they sign preceding surgical procedures” (189), which is just a few of the numerous examples of how these people can struggle in everyday life. With having the proper education of the society a person lives in, they will be able to be successful. It is heart wrenching to see some people are not able to communicate, especially in a dire situation. Getting an education that works with the society someone lives in will lead people being successful and feeling
prioritize early childhood development, such that children are systematically exposed to learning opportunities from an early age and expected to do well (Minkov, 2011). Families that do not speak English as a native language might lack the money to purchase educational materials for younger children, and parents in such families might also lack the time for interaction, given that many fathers and mothers in non-English-speaking communities are working multiple jobs solely to survive (Tillman, 2009).
Illiteracy is not limited to children, teenagers, adults, a particular socio-economic level, or a particular race. When George, now 68, was a child he moved frequently because his father ran a small circus. He never stayed in one place long enough to learn how to read. Finally, he quit school, never to return. Now after retirement, he has decided to learn how to read. He arrived at the library reading room to find the door was locked. The sign indicated that a key was available at the information desk, but George did not know what the sign said. So he sat down and waited several hours for someone to open the door. Meh Chin from China, the mother of a third grader, is interested in communicating better with her children, who have already become fluent in English at an early age.
One important lesson of the past decade, however, is just how difficult it is to close longstanding achievement gaps experienced by students from low-income families, students with disabilities, English Learners, and racial and ethnic minorities. We know from research that these gaps often start during the first years of life, even before children enter our education system, with children from low-income families starting kindergarten, on average, 12 to 14 months behind their peers in language development and pre-reading skills.
Another step before solving the problem is that one must also know the roots of it. One of the many sources of illiteracy is right in the home. Many parents do not take the time to read to their children when they are at an early age. This introduces them to phonics and reading. It has been proven that children who have had their parents read to them have been known to have higher literary abilities (Sachwitz). Children who start learning about reading at an early age have a head start when they begin to have formal education. This leads to better acceptance of received material which in turn helps for a much better education. Another problem was a program inserted into the schooling system called the “Whol...
Socioeconomic status (SES) is a major topic of interest within the study of language development in children. It has been indicated as one of the most widely studied constructs in the social sciences (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002). Even with the wide variety of studies involving SES, there has never been a complete consensus on what SES actually represents. Beyond the development of language, SES also affects the overall development of a child. These developmental differences then further lead to differences in language acquisition. When looking at SES, there are many factors to consider. The concept of capital seems to best embody the current meaning psychologists hold of SES, according to Bradley and Corwyn (2002). Capital is favored because of its inclusion of access to financial (material resources), human (nonmaterial resources such as education) and social capital (social connections). The current working definition of SES involves family income, education level, and occupations, which influence the theories and characteristics that children develop (Hill, 2006). The effects of socioeconomic status on children are shown through many factors that affect language development through the child’s overall growth, their cognitive development, as well as their stress management and the parenting styles that they are exposed to.
“Because brain development is so heavily dependent on early experience, most babies will receive the right kind of nurturing from their earliest days, through our loving urges and parenting instincts. “there are so many things that I’ve read that could make a baby smarter like reading to them while pregnant or even talking to them so the brain can develop the right way while in the womb but loving your child and catering to them is the right way and will eventually lead them to the right path to learn. Yes, speaking to your child and listening to them can and will critically develop the brains –building years. Parents do forget that a child’s developments are not when school begins but before that. If a child comes from a home that listens and speaks when the other one is done and knows manners the child will develop that and learn that is the right way to go about things as oppose to a house hold who may talk over each, shout or even hit their brains will pick all that up like a sponge. So talking to your child and actually listening to them is one of the best brain developments. “Language is fundamental to most of the rest of cognitive development, this simple action—talking and listening to your child—is one of the best ways to make the most of his or her critical brain-building years.” (Zero to
Children go through a number of different stages as language develops. According to Craig and Dunn, (2010), “Even before birth, it appears that infants are prepared to respond to and learn language” (p. 112). Children develop these skills quickly with nature and nurture influences. Researchers have proposed several different theories to explain how and why language development occurs. This paper is an overview of the process of early childhood language development with research evidence supporting the information stated.
SHANNON LOCKHART (2012) 'Supporting Communication, Language, and Literacy Learning With Infants and Toddlers', 26(3), pp. [Online]. Available at:http://www.highscope.org/file/NewsandInformation/Extensions/ExtVol26No3_low.pdf(Accessed: 18-Mar-2014).
Some language scholars argue that the strongest evidence for the biological basis of language is that children all over the world reach language milestones at about the same age despite vast differences in their environmental experiences. However, children do not learn language in a social vacuum. Children benefit when parents and workers actively engage them in controversations and then question, and talk with, not just listen to them. In sum, biology and experience interact to produce language development (Gathercole & Haff, 2010, Shartz,
Poverty is immensely one of the main causes of illiteracy, which is the reason that minorities are so greatly affected. People of a lower socioeconomic status cannot afford to send their children to schools of adequate competency nor can they afford the materials needed for their children to succeed. Cultural influence can be an impacting factor in illiteracy because children mimic the things that they see. Parents are encouraged to read with or to their children to attempt to bre...