Social Class and Literacy

Caryn Snow
UNE EDU 744

Introduction
As educators, it is our goal to provide an equal opportunity for all children to
learn and be successful. One measure of this goal is the ability to close gaps
in achievement across students so that (our) students are able to move forward
successfully in their literacy development (Raag, Kusiak, Tumilty, Kelemen,
Bernheimer, & Bond, p. 693, 2011). This goal requires collaboration between
parents and educators, and consideration of students various backgrounds and
experiences. When considering students backgrounds, it is crucial that we
contemplate how social class factors into literacy development. Research has
repeatedly categorized ones social class dependent on maternal educational
achievement (Raag et al. 2011; Li, 2010).
Where I teach, a majority of my students are from homes where the mother is
the primary caregiver. I have found that the mothers awareness and
educational level, often impacts how much literacy exposure the child has
coming into my class. I have also discovered that the mothers involvement
often affects how the student values reading.

Article Summary
Title and Author

Summary

Explaining Social Class Differences in Growth of

Reading Skills from Beginning Kindergarten Through
Fourth-Grade by Steven A. Hecht, Stephen R.
Burgess, Joseph K. Torgesen, Richard K. Wagner &
Carol A. Rashotte

This article explores how children from higher SES

outperform those from lower SES in reading levels,
they tend to achieve higher on reading achievement
measures, have more developed expressive
language, and more resources at their disposal.

Race, Class, and Schooling: Multicultural Families

Doing the Hard work of Home Literacy in American
Cities by Guofang Li

Guofang Lis article investigates how the community

one lives in effects the quality of resources
available for families such as libraries, books in
home, and high quality teachers. It further studies
how to close the reading gap between students of
different SES backgrounds.

Learning about literacy: Social factors and

reading acquisition by Jacqueline Lynch

Lynchs article focuses on the impact of maternal

educational achievement, as well as, availability of
resources in the childs home. Mothers with more
schooling tend to choose higher quality storybooks
and engage in more in-depth conversation and
interactions surrounding their readings.

Reconsidering SES and Gender Divides in Literacy

Achievement: Are the Gaps across Social Class and

This article emphasizes the correlations between

maternal education and how it effects the ability to
support their childs reading development.

Gender Necessary? by Tarja Raag, Karen Kusiak,

Meredith Tumility, Anna Kelemen, Hilana
Bernheimer & Jessica Bond

Synthesis
Parents are the biggest socialize factors in a childs life. It is our
responsibility as educators to teach not only the students, but also their
parents.Allthe articles stated how social class and maternal education
affect literary achievement. As educators, we need to provide
opportunities to work with parents by having early release times for
teachers to work with parents during school hours so that childcare may
be provided, we can guide parents how to scaffold early literacy skills, as
well as the crucial aspects of play, conversation, vocabulary development
in building student literacy development. Lynch mentions that many
low-income parents underestimate the amount of reading and writing
they are involved in as part of their daily lives, which provides a model
for children of print use in the home literacy environment ( p. 3, 2007),
meaning that parents do not consider the importance of modeling writing
and reading skills such as making grocery lists, writing an address on an
envelope, or even reading the back of a cereal box.

Critical Analysis
Early reading experiences are one of the greatest predictors
of later success in reading. All four articles argued that these
trends could be changed if educators and parents (particularly
mothers) work together in, and prior to, Kindergarten to assist
in literary development skills in areas of low social economic
groups reside. These include economic status, as well as
environmental issues, that are part of a childs education both
in and outside of school (Li, 2010). We must discover what
purposes literacy serves in their lives and educate parents
about the importance of reading with their children, provide
opportunities to send home quality books and print materials,
as well as provide classes, workshops, or conversation around
the importance of reading (Lynch, 2007; Li, 2010).

Conclusion
While many things impact literary development,
maternal educational achievement is a driving force
effecting early literacy experiences and values. A
mothers educational level impacts where a family may
live, the types of resources available in their homes and
communities, as well as, awareness in how to scaffold
student reading. Teachers must be empathetic and
supportive in understanding the values, needs, and
strengths of students home life. When high quality
teachers and parents work together they can have
positive impacts on student reading development and
help lessen the achievement gaps.

Discussion Prompts
1. What do you or your school do to help educate
parents about the importance of early literacy
exposure?
2. Have you noticed a correlation between parental
educational level and student reading achievement?
3. What changes can we make in our schools and
communities to positively impact early literacy
development?

References

Hecht, S., Burgess, S., Torgensen, J., Wagner, R., & Rashotte, C. (2000). Explaining social class
differences in growth of reading skills from beginning kindergarten through fourth-grade: The role
of phonological awareness, rate of access, and print knowledge. Reading and Writing: An
Interdisciplinary Journal, 12, 99-127. Retrieved October 4, 2014, from
file:///Users/carynsnow/Downloads/explaining social class differences hecht burgess 2000.pdf

Li, G. (2010). Race, Class, and Schooling: Multicultural Families City.Reading & Writing
Quarterly,26(2), 140-165.

Lynch, J. (2007). Learning about literacy: Social factors and reading acquisition. Encyclopedia of
Language and Literacy Development (pp.1-9). London, ON: Canadian Language and Literacy
Research Network. Retrieved [October 3, 2014] from
http://www.literacyencyclopedia.ca/pdfs/topic/php?topld=40

Raag, T., Kusiak, K., Tumilty, M., Kelemen, A., Bernheimer, H., & Bond, J. (2011). Reconsidering SES
and Gender Divides in Literacy Achievement: Are the Gaps across Social Class and Gender
Necessary?.Educational Psychology,31(6), 691-705.