LANGUAGE INTERVENTIONS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN LIVING IN LOW SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS ENVIRONMENTS

Abstract

Research has shown a strong correlation between the socioeconomic (SES) status of a child’s family, his or her cognitive development and that child’s later achievement in school. My paper addresses the issues of disadvantaged environments and effective interventions that can be used to reverse the effects of growing up in low SES homes on cognitive development, most specifically in the area of language. In my paper, I will do a review of recent literature to determine the specific causes of the gap between children from disadvantaged homes and those not from disadvantaged homes. I will examine how shared storybook reading as an intervention impacts a preschooler’s receptive and expressive communication. Research suggests that there is much to be gained receptively by a child when using shared storybook reading, but the gains are few when you examine expressive communication. I will also possible changes that need to be addressed in early childhood education. One cause to be addressed is that the type of effective interventions used in these early child childhood centers are not being simulated in the public schools. In conclusion, one can make great strides for young children that come from disadvantaged backgrounds using effective evidence based practices.