A study on the relationship between reading and poverty by Drs. Julia O'Sullivan and Mark Howe, former professors of Memorial University, was released last fall. This study was conducted with 439 children and one parent from each family in urban and rural settings in Newfoundland. The children ranged from pre-kindergarten to grade 2. Poverty was defined as an annual income below $22,500 for families in urban communities and below $18,129 for families in rural communities. The children were administered various reading- related tests and questionnaires about their beliefs. The parents were administered beliefs questionnaires.

Study Findings

Results of tests showed that the children have pre-reading and reading proficiencies that are well below the national average. What is noteworthy is that attendance at preschool or in kindergarten did not alter this pattern for grade 1 and grade 2 children.

The beliefs which children held about their reading competence, and parents' beliefs about their children's reading competence influenced their children's reading success. For pre-kindergarten, kindergarten, and grade 1 children, positive beliefs by the parents went hand in hand with children's competence in print. At the grade 2 level, parents' positive beliefs went hand in hand with children's own positive beliefs. O'Sullivan and Howe point out that children from low income families, who do well in reading, arrive at that success by one of two routes or paths: the skill path, and the will path. Those who travel the "skill path" to reading, succeed because they very early develop basic reading and reading related skills. Those who travel the "will path" are continuously motivated and encouraged by a belief in their ability and in themselves. There were no differences between urban and rural children in terms of findings.

Points to Ponder

O'Sullivan and Howe point out in their review of the literature that many children who have problems learning to read come from low-income families. Reading problems put children at high risk for school failure, result in dropping out of school, and even unemployment as adults. The authors note that research has shown that a child's reading level is a good predictor of income as a adult. The issue of low-income as a factor in reading success is most crucial for Newfoundland and Labrador when one considers that the number of children living in low-income families in this province is considerably higher than the national average.

What to Do?

O'Sullivan and Howe put forward a number of recommendations. Selected ones are presented below.

• If children from low-income families are to get a good start in school, there must be a concerted effort through partnerships from a variety of community personnel to provide the parents and children with suitable literacy development experiences.
• Children from low-income families need continued help with reading throughout their school years.
• These children must receive "exemplary" programs and teaching as school students.
• Teachers must have the necessary and appropriate professional development to provide exemplary programs and instruction.
• Parents must be involved as key partners in their children's reading development.
• Schools should be allocated resources based on the needs of the children they serve.

Julia O'Sullivan and Mark Howe. Overcoming Poverty: Promoting Literacy in Children from Low-Income Families. Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON. September, 1999