In "Child Development:" Preschoolers' Classmates Influence Their Language Skills

Past research has shown that children's abilities to both speak and understand words developed faster when they were with classmates with better language skills. Now we have this study by Justice, Petscher, Schatschneider, and Mashburn that indicates that this is true in the early childhood classroom as well. Just recived my copy of The PreK Debates: Current Controversies and Issues as a Comprehensive NAEYC member and it brings these thoughts to mind.

~ Does this information mean we need to rethink universal prek models to ensure classrooms include diverse populations with a range of language abilities?

~Are we doing a disservice when we design programs that are offered to targeted groups of vulnerable children?

Read the story on Science Daily: http://bit.ly/rrLpru

Source: Laura M. Justice, Yaacov Petscher, Christopher Schatschneider, Andrew Mashburn. Peer Effects in Preschool Classrooms: Is Children’s Language Growth Associated With Their Classmates’ Skills? Child Development, 2011; DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-8624.2011.01665.x