Children who are faced with poverty on a daily basis may experience several obstacles, just to be able to get to school. Being in school and getting a good education may be the only way some children will be able to beat poverty. Lack of good schooling and financial support can cause a gap in consistent education. One in four children grow up unable to read, explains Begin to Read. This can cause a lifelong issue with their overall ability to be successful adults.
Significance
It is important for every child no matter what their background or home life circumstance to get a good education that meets their needs. EurekAlert explains that in some locations, low-income students do not have access to qualified teachers in good schools like some wealthier children do. In addition, because their home life may be filled with trials and tribulations that are unrelated to school, it can be difficult to simply concentrate on schoolwork or arrive at school regularly. If your child misses out developmentally in the first few years, when comprehension development is crucial, he may suffer for a lifetime by not being able to read or comprehend.
Causes
If a child comes from a low-income home, he may not be mentally prepared to tackle general curriculum on a daily basis. This could be because he has not had the proper nutrition in order to concentrate. Keep Kids Healthy explains that kids who eat a healthy breakfast before starting school have an increase in attention span, listen and comprehend information better and overall do better in school. If free breakfast isn't offered at school or a child doesn't have access to nutrition at home, it will be difficult for him to concentrate on the basics at school, including the fundamentals of reading.
Considerations
It is important to note that a child who comes from a low-income household may also not have the ability to access additional help outside of school. This could be because of financial burdens and the inability to get to and from after school tutoring. Parents from low-income homes may also not have access to the tools necessary to be able to teach their children how to read with flash cards, computers, books and videos, for example.
Solution
Creating literacy awareness can begin at school and in the community. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation works with communities nationwide to promote literacy within families. Because many kids who cannot read also have parents who can't read or write, it is important to offer assistance and tools to help the entire family. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation has a grant program available to qualified health care providers that helps provide families with reading resources such as books and pamphlets that encourage families to read together and learn.
Outcome
In order to learn how to follow directions and story problems throughout the remainder of their school years, learning is fundamental for all children. Utilize free resources within the school such as the library, tutoring and reading volunteers. The U.S. government is taking charge of literacy and education with the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. The act holds school districts accountable for the education of the students making sure they meet the requirements to graduate successfully.
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