DPS Parent Guide

Develop The Reading Habit

The best gift you can give your child, from birth on up, is a nurturing environment rich in words. The best way to ensure that your child has the best opportunities in life, no matter what your current circumstance, is to develop their vocabulary. Statistics show that the greatest predictor of future academic success is the number of words children are exposed to at a young age. Talk to your child! That simple start can make a world of difference! If your child has access to vocabulary they will become a much better reader and writer. With the gift of reading and writing, they have the very best chance of success in life. Below are some statistics that illustrate these differences.

A nurturing, encouraging environment

Economic status	Encouragements Per Hour	Discouragements Per Hour
Professional Families	32	5
Working-Class Families	12	7
Welfare Families	5	11

From: Meaningful Differences in the Everyday Experiences of Young American Children by Betty Hart and Todd Risley

The hours add up

Economic status	Encouragements In A Year	Discouragements In A Year
Professional Families	166,000	26,000
Working-Class Families	62,000	36,000
Welfare Families	26,000	57,000

"86-98% of the words recorded in each child's vocabulary consisted of words also recorded in their parents' vocabularies."

A life rich in words

Economic status	Parent Vocabulary Per Hour	Child Vocabulary Per Hour
Professional Families	2,176	1,116
Working-Class Families	1,498	749
Welfare Families	974	525

The Hours add up in a Year

Economic status	Child's Language Experience In A Year
Professional Families	45 million words
Working-Class Families	26 million words
Welfare Families	13 million words