Morphological abilities in Hebrew-speaking children from different SES backgrounds

1. Morphological abilities in Hebrew-speaking children from different SES backgrounds Dorit Ravid School of Education & the Dept. of Communications Disorders Tel Aviv University, Israel

2. In collaboration with Rachel Schiff School of Education Bar Ilan University, Israel

3. Language development • Proceeds from the construction of a robust core of coherent categories to the acquisition of a rich and diverse system relating forms to functions

4. For this system to evolve • Children need to have an adequate amount of linguistic input

5. Adequatelearningconditions children need to have access to linguistic input that is both quantitatively and qualitatively appropriate to enable the coherent category formation essential to generalization and consolidation of knowledge 5

6. Non-adequatelearningconditions • Two types of “inadequate” learning conditions that are liable to impair optimal language development in the early stages, and hence to impinge negatively on the subsequent acquisition of linguistic literacy at school age 6

7. Low SES and (S)LI One type of inadequate learning condition is a function of cognitive factors internal to the individual, such as in the case of children suffering from language disabilities. Another type of inadequate learning condition derives from external environmental factors, such as socio-economic status 7

8. Language and linguistic literacy in low SES • knowledge of language and emergent literacy in the preschool years are closely related to children’s SES background (Cooper, Roth, Speece & Schatschneider, 2002; D’Angiulli, Siegel, & Herzman, 2004). Studies have shown that SES plays a role in learning to read and in scientific literacy in the school years, too (Douglas, 2000).

9. Language and linguistic literacy in low SES • Reading accuracy, reading comprehension, spelling and writing abilities are demonstrably weaker among children of low SES background (Speece et al, 2004). Low SES children manifest relatively high rates of failure from the very lowest grades (Battin-Pearson, et al., 2000), and their attainments remain consistently lower than average across the school years (Purcell-Gates & Dahl, 1991).

10. linguistic literacy in low SES • Similar findings have emerged from research in Israel, showing that preschoolers of low SES backgrounds reveal lower attainments in tests of emergent literacy such as notions of print, phonological awareness, letter naming, writing and identification of words than do their peers from more advantaged backgrounds (Aram, 2005; Korat & Levin, 2001).

11. Opposing view • Language in low SES is a different / distinct linguistic variety • sociolect • In the same paradigm as dialect

12. Socio-economic Status (SES)Berliner, 2005; Chiu & McBride-Chang, 2006 • A multidimensional concept that captures family capital • Financial capital (monetary and material resources) • Humancapital(educational and cultural resources) • Socialcapital(social connections linked with work, career and the like)

13. LowSES • Not to be confused with • Second language acquisition / knowledge • Bilingualism • Immigration, minorities