Infants are not born predisposed to speak or understand a certain language. They acquire their vocabulary from what they hear. Research shows a direct connection between the amount of words a young child hears and their future aptitude for learning. A now-famous 1995 research study found that low-income children were exposed to 30 million fewer words than their more fortunate peers by the age of three (Hart and Reisley 1995). Without doubt, this immense word gap places under-privileged children at a disadvantage before they even enter school. It also places a great responsibility on the adults who care for these children.
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