My recommendation today is not a read aloud for children. It is actually an article about some new research, that in my opinion, supports the case for reading aloud to children early and often.
The article, from Time Health and Family on October 29, states that some research shows children who live in poverty have smaller brains. The reasons for this vary. It could be from increased stress and anxiety due to living conditions or the lack of verbal interaction between children in poverty and their caregivers.
The article is a bit gloomy until the end. Here is the last paragraph from the article:
"The good news, however, is that the effects may be reversible. Families don’t chose poverty, but changes in caregiving, especially during early childhood, could avoid some of the physical changes the scientists measured. “By studying socioeconomic status within a neuroscientific framework, we have the potential to expand our understanding of the biological signatures of poverty,” said Nina Kraus, professor of neurobiology, physiology and communication sciences at Northwestern University and an author of the second study, in a statement. “And a better understanding of how experiences shape the brain could inform educational efforts aimed at closing the socioeconomic achievement gap.”
To me this means that by reading to ALL children, beginning AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, we can reverse some of the effects poverty may have on children.
To read the full article click here.
Be sure to read to a child today!
Happy Reading!
Laura
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