Socioeconomic Factors & Literacy Learning

  Supportive Learning Environments for Students Living in Poverty As mentioned in previous installments of this blog- students living at or below the poverty line are faced with many challenges when it comes to becoming proficient readers and writers. With so many things going on in their lives, literacy is understandably not always their top priority. This is why we feel like it is our jobs as educators to not only bring attention to the issues this population faces but also to do our part to help mitigate the effects that poverty has on their literacy learning.  One way that we as teachers can help mitigate the effects of poverty for our students is to provide a learning environment that will help engage students and motivate them to become better readers. Research has shown that “for students with strong motivation, the influence of SES on reading ability is weakened” (Chent el al- 2018, pg, 8). In fact, having motivation to learn is considered to be a resilience factor; a ...

Key challenges and struggles for learners who live in poverty March 15, 2020 There are many challenges students and teachers face when it comes to the topic of poverty in schools. Students who live in poverty face many challenges when it comes to their academic success.  These children could be faced with several barriers including lack of permanent housing, absenteeism in school and from parents, transportation issues, relocating frequently, feeling socially disconnected, lack of resources and money for basic needs and food.  These challenges could also lead individuals to become less motivated when learning or possibly start behaving in negative ways.  Students go through life experiences we as educators may not always think of, but have to consider.   The majority of homeless students are exposed to adverse life experiences that negatively affect their academic, family, and psychosocial functioning (Bassuk, 2010).  The purpose of this blog  is to br...

As of 2018, 1 in 6 children under the age of 18 in the United States were living in poverty. That is equal to nearly 12 million children. In 2018 this resulted in a child poverty rate of 16%, versus 11% for adults 18-64 and 10% for adults over age 65 (Children's Defense Fund, 2020) . While students and their families living at or below the poverty line undoubtedly face significant challenges in multiple areas of their lives; this blog will focus on their disadvantages and complex needs when it comes to these students becoming proficient readers and writers. A significant amount of research dedicated to investigating possible links between socioeconomic status and reading ability has already been undertaken (although there does remain a glaring need for additional research). With that being said, there is a clear theme that arises from the existing research available today; lower socioeconomic status is linked to lower reading and writing ability in school-aged children. The purpose...