Language Language DevelopmentDevelopment

Race and EthnicityRace and EthnicityMike RiceMike RiceJeff KeisJeff Keis

Matt BolinMatt BolinSylvia WiseSylvia Wise

Andrew DriscollAndrew Driscoll

Race and Ethnicity Race and Ethnicity IntroductionIntroduction

RaceRace

~A group of people related by ~A group of people related by common descentcommon descent

EthnicityEthnicity

~Identity with or membership in a ~Identity with or membership in a particular racial, national, or cultural particular racial, national, or cultural group and observance of that group's group and observance of that group's customs, beliefs, and language customs, beliefs, and language

Topics CoveredTopics Covered

Language DevelopmentLanguage Development ~Asians~Asians ~African Americans~African Americans ~Caucasians~Caucasians ~Native Americans~Native Americans In-depth detail of topics such as…..In-depth detail of topics such as….. ~Language acquisition, reading ~Language acquisition, reading

comprehension, vocabulary, comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, etc…grammar, etc…

Language Development in Language Development in Adopted AsiansAdopted Asians

A study that examined 55 preschoolers A study that examined 55 preschoolers adopted from Chinaadopted from China

~5% scored below average but majority ~5% scored below average but majority scored at or above averagescored at or above average

~Language acquisition proceeds rapidly ~Language acquisition proceeds rapidly in the majority of preschool aged children in the majority of preschool aged children adopted as infantsadopted as infants

~Children that perform the lowest were ~Children that perform the lowest were exposed to the English language for the exposed to the English language for the least amount of timeleast amount of time

Language Development in Language Development in Adopted Asians, continuedAdopted Asians, continued

If infants are adopted before one year of age If infants are adopted before one year of age they are much more likely to acquire the they are much more likely to acquire the English language quickerEnglish language quicker

In a study of 26 preschool-age children In a study of 26 preschool-age children adopted from Asian countries, it was found adopted from Asian countries, it was found that the sample as a whole performed that the sample as a whole performed significantly above average on the Peabody significantly above average on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test after at least 23 Picture Vocabulary Test after at least 23 months of English exposure, despite the months of English exposure, despite the poor health conditions of many of the poor health conditions of many of the children upon arrival.children upon arrival.

African AmericansAfrican Americans

Language Acquisition Language Acquisition

~Study of 701 low-income African ~Study of 701 low-income African American Preschoolers on the American Preschoolers on the Preschool Language Scale-3 test Preschool Language Scale-3 test

~Measures- Preschool Language Scale-~Measures- Preschool Language Scale-3(PLS-3), Peabody Picture Vocabulary 3(PLS-3), Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition(PPVT-III), and Test-Third Edition(PPVT-III), and Expressive Vocabulary Test(EVT) Expressive Vocabulary Test(EVT)

African AmericansAfrican Americans

Reading Comprehension- the ability to Reading Comprehension- the ability to integrate effectively and meaningfully integrate effectively and meaningfully previously acquired knowledge with previously acquired knowledge with the information provided in a text the information provided in a text

~Study was of a Group of African American ~Study was of a Group of African American Graduate Students on reading comprehension Graduate Students on reading comprehension

~Shows signs that the current educational program ~Shows signs that the current educational program is not working as well for African American is not working as well for African American studentsstudents

~Teachers must take into account socio-cultural ~Teachers must take into account socio-cultural backgrounds when teaching language developmentbackgrounds when teaching language development

African Americans African Americans ContinuedContinued

VocabularyVocabulary ~49 3-5 year old African American Children ~49 3-5 year old African American Children

enrolled at Head Start were assessed using the enrolled at Head Start were assessed using the Peabody Vocabulary TestPeabody Vocabulary Test

~They scored significantly lower than the ~They scored significantly lower than the normative group, which included minoritiesnormative group, which included minorities

~Factors: Language skills learned at home may ~Factors: Language skills learned at home may not coincide with the grammar taught in schoolsnot coincide with the grammar taught in schools

~Another factor to consider is that all ~Another factor to consider is that all participants came from impoverished families so participants came from impoverished families so socioeconomic status could play a large partsocioeconomic status could play a large part

CaucasiansCaucasians

Experiment to examine literate language Experiment to examine literate language features in 2, 3 and 4 year old Caucasian features in 2, 3 and 4 year old Caucasian and African Americansand African Americans

~Illustrated that there was age related ~Illustrated that there was age related differences in the use of mental/linguistic verbsdifferences in the use of mental/linguistic verbs

~There was no difference between African ~There was no difference between African American and Caucasian children’s evaluations American and Caucasian children’s evaluations and usage rates and usage rates

~~Showed differences in scores between Showed differences in scores between children of low-income families with those children of low-income families with those of higher income families of higher income families

Caucasians ContinuedCaucasians Continued Experiment took place is Alabama to Experiment took place is Alabama to

evaluate low socioeconomic preschool kids evaluate low socioeconomic preschool kids by giving a standardized test. by giving a standardized test.

~Studied the performance of 70 African American ~Studied the performance of 70 African American and Caucasian children attending a Head Start and Caucasian children attending a Head Start program program

~Both the Caucasian and African American students ~Both the Caucasian and African American students performed well below existing PLAI scores of performed well below existing PLAI scores of middles-class northern childrenmiddles-class northern children

~Caucasians at Head Start Programs scored ~Caucasians at Head Start Programs scored higher than African American children in the higher than African American children in the same study especially on the levels of same study especially on the levels of language complexitylanguage complexity

Native AmericansNative Americans Tests on 60 Cherokee head start children Tests on 60 Cherokee head start children

from Oklahoma. from Oklahoma. ~Tests were for speech language and ~Tests were for speech language and

hearinghearing ~Tests were administered to groups of ~Tests were administered to groups of

twenty 3, 4, and 5 year olds twenty 3, 4, and 5 year olds ~Scores for the 5 year old children were ~Scores for the 5 year old children were

lower lower ~One sample test shows that these ~One sample test shows that these

scores are not significantly different than scores are not significantly different than that of the U.S. population that of the U.S. population

Native Americans Native Americans ContinuedContinued

Test was administered to the Test was administered to the Northeastern Oklahoma Head Start Northeastern Oklahoma Head Start (NOHS). The staff and children (NOHS). The staff and children attending were of mixed status attending were of mixed status

~Test scores were the similar for the 3 ~Test scores were the similar for the 3 and 4 year olds while the scores for the 5 and 4 year olds while the scores for the 5 year old children were lower year old children were lower

~Was found that CNHS children’s ~Was found that CNHS children’s language comprehension exceeded their language comprehension exceeded their language production language production

ConclusionConclusion In cases in which the children scored lower In cases in which the children scored lower

than the average in language development than the average in language development tests, socioeconomic status was more of a tests, socioeconomic status was more of a factor than race/ethnicityfactor than race/ethnicity

Asians: Scored at or above the averageAsians: Scored at or above the average ~African Americans: Performance reflected ~African Americans: Performance reflected

socioeconomic statussocioeconomic status ~Native Americans: Similar scores to U.S. ~Native Americans: Similar scores to U.S.

population. Cultural teachings reflected in population. Cultural teachings reflected in language testslanguage tests

Socioeconomic status plays a much larger role Socioeconomic status plays a much larger role than race/ethnicity in language developmentthan race/ethnicity in language development

Questions?Questions?

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