Vol. 16, No. 37	July 24, 1997

Educator describes 'huge inequalities' in reading

Only Finnish children read better than U.S. kidsÐyet, too many 17-year-old minority children in this country read at roughly the same level as the average 13-year-old white child, a UD educator reported July 10, when he urged U.S. policymakers to help correct such "huge inequalities."

Poverty and inadequate educationÐnot raceÐkeep some children from reading better, said Richard L. Venezky, educational studies.

Three key barriersÐdifferent language practices among lower--income versus higher--income parents, different teaching practices in schools and different levels of reading outside of schoolÐprevent many American children from improving their skills, Venezky told the U.S. House of RepresentativesÕ Committee on Education and the Workforce.

A broad range of data has shown that children in lower-income families often hear fewer words during their formative years. In one study, Venezky said, researchers found that Òthe average number of words per hour heard by children in professional families was 2,150, compared to 1,250 for children in working-class families and 620 in welfare families."

Higher-income parents tend to read more books to children, Venezky said. These parents also interact more effectively with their kidsÐasking them questions and talking about fictional characters while reading books.

The result, he said, is that "some children enter kindergarten or first grade with rich vocabularies and with considerable experience in using language," while other youngsters enter unprepared for reading and success in school. Sadly, he added, these children never seem to "catch up."

Lower-income parents also may be less likely to help children read during the summer and after school, Venezky said. In schools, meanwhile, teachers and school administrators are still struggling to figure out which teaching strategies work best.

Venezky, past president of the Reading Hall of Fame, recommended four steps to improve U.S. reading performance.

First, he recommended a consensus panel to review and disseminate research findings on various basic studies of reading and on different instruction and assessment techniques.

Venezky also called for state and local efforts to help parents in high-poverty areas foster children's language and cognitive development.

In addition, he suggested continued support for systemic school reform and high curriculum and achievement standards, as well as community-based, volunteer involvement in reading advancement.