October 30, 2006 – Reading to your child before the age of 3 ½ years gives him a better understanding of vocabulary once in kindergarten, thus increasing his chances of success in school.
This is one of the revelations of the Longitudinal Study of the Development of Children in Quebec.1 (ÉLDEQ) – also called I am, I will be – the first results of which were unveiled as part of the 10es Annual Public Health Days (JASP)2.
According to the authors of an analysis3 Based on these results, the richness of vocabulary would prove to be a predictor of academic success and reading and writing skills at the age of 8 and 9 years.
Seven out of ten young Quebecers have a good understanding of vocabulary at the end of kindergarten. But 15% have real difficulties.
Children’s language skills are closely linked to the stimulation received during the preschool period. “Children to whom parents started reading on a regular basis around the age of 3½ years or earlier, as well as those who were read on a daily basis in the year before entry to school are less likely to be relatively late in kindergarten, ”reads the analysis published under the name of Start school on the right foot.
Among young Quebecers who have been regularly read stories before the age of 3 ½ years, 85.8% of them have a good level of vocabulary by the end of kindergarten.
The number of books in the home could also indicate children’s ability to understand vocabulary well. Among those who have access to less than 40 children’s books at home, 22.9% have a delay in vocabulary acquisition by the end of kindergarten.
Great impact of the socio-economic environment
What about social support? |
But reading alone wouldn’t explain everything. ÉLDEQ data indicate that the social and emotional environment, as well as the socio-economic environment in which children live, play a crucial role in learning a richer vocabulary.
More than one in four children (27%) who lived in a low-income household lags behind in language skills by the end of kindergarten, compared to 8% among those from middle-class or better-off families.
In addition, children who did not regularly attend a childcare center, from 2 ½ years old until the year before entering kindergarten, are more likely to suffer from a language delay (18.8 %).
One, two, three … |
The physical health and well-being of children are also factors that influence language skills. Thus, 10.5% of children perceived in very good health by their parents display a delay in terms of vocabulary, against 25% of those in less good health.
Refraining from presenting ready-made solutions, the authors of the analysis of the first results of the ÉLDEQ suggest setting up early stimulation activities. “Awakening to reading activities in preschool settings could, for example, constitute interesting avenues if we want a greater number of children to arrive better prepared at school,” assert- they.
Weight, nutrition and ailments …
Bertrand Perron from the Institut de la statistique du Québec presented other data taken from the Longitudinal Study of the Development of Children in Quebec1 (ÉLDEQ), some of which are surprising, relating to children’s weight, their diet and their little ailments.
“Just like in adults, weight problems are more and more frequent in preschoolers,” explains Bertrand Perron, ÉLDEQ coordinator. Thus, nearly 10% of four-year-olds are overweight, and 4% are obese.
According to the data collected, the excess weight in these children could be explained by the fact of not taking a meal every morning or of experiencing periods of insufficient food. Regular consumption of sugary drinks could also contribute.
In this regard, the ÉLDEQ paints a sad picture of the diet of young Quebecers. In general, preschoolers lack fiber and consume too much saturated fat and sugar. Almost 10% of four-year-olds do not eat breakfast every morning.
In addition, the more children attend a childcare service at an early age, the more they would undergo multiple antibiotic treatments. Bertrand Perron qualifies: “On the other hand, attending a daycare service decreases the risk of cavities because the children there acquire better oral health habits”.
A Quebec longitudinal study The Longitudinal Study of the Development of Children in Quebec1 (ÉLDEQ) aims to identify the factors which, during early childhood, contribute to the social adaptation and academic success of young Quebecers. The ÉLDEQ has been following, for six years now, a cohort of 2,120 infants born in Quebec in 1997 and 1998. It will continue until 2011 when the children will reach the end of the primary cycle (fourth to sixth year). This is the first time in Quebec that such a large sample of children has been followed so intensively during early childhood. Such studies are important to intervene in time with children at risk. “Prevention programs are inspired by longitudinal surveys,” said Frank Vitaro, from the School of Psychoeducation at the University of Montreal, during the Annual Public Health Days. |
Martin LaSalle and Johanne Lauzon – PasseportSanté.net
1. This type of study takes place over a long period: data collection from a group of subjects takes place at different points in time. The Longitudinal Study of the Development of Children in Quebec is funded by the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the Ministry of Families, Seniors and the Status of Women, the Institut de la statistique du Québec and the Lucie Foundation and André Chagnon.
2. The 10es Annual Public Health Days (JASP) took place in Montreal from October 23 to 27, 2006.
3. Written by Hélène Desrosiers and Amélie Ducharme, the booklet Starting school on the right foot, factors associated with vocabulary acquisition at the end of kindergarten, is accessible at www.jesuisjeserai.stat.gouv.qc.ca [consulté le 27 octobre 2006].