Poverty and Its Effect on Literacy Development

So, my topic of focus for class has been on poverty and the effect it has on school readiness in the development of literacy skills. I have come across a lot of information thus far, so I decided to share some of it here.

As, we all know poverty is one of the many circumstances impacting the development of young children. One article that I came across entitled School Readiness Outcomes for Preschool Children at Risk: A Randomized Trial of a Parent Engagement Intervention and the Role of Parental Depression. CYFS Working Paper No. 2012-5 discussed how children of poverty are at a very high risk for academic failure due to their circumstances. The article also talked about how the mental state of the mother plays a role in the cognitive and motor development of their children. The article also talked about an intervention technique known as Getting Ready that was implemented and focused on the promotion of social/emotional skills in addition to language and literacy skills.



As educators, it is our professional duty and responsibility to help children overcome the literacy gaps they experience due to poverty. Being that reading is one of the basics to high achievement in life, we should work hard to get each child to where they need to be so that they can be successful later in life.

Questions To Ponder
Why do you believe children are so adversely affected by poverty?

Is poverty a facet of life that can eventually be overcome?

What are some positive ways that educators can help children of poverty grow to be successful in life?

References

Clarke, B.L., Sheridan, S.M., Kim, E.M., Kupzyk, K.A., Knoche, L.L., Ransom, K.A., Sjuts, 

T.M. (2012). School Readiness Outcomes for Preschool Children at Risk: A Randomized Trial of a Parent Engagement Intervention and the Role of Parental Depression. CYFS Working Paper No. 2012-5. Eric Digest.