All children experiences challenges as they grow up, but children from low-income families have more than their share

Question

a. Basing your response on the textbook's discussion of socioeconomic status, describe three different challenges that children from low-income families are apt to face that their more economically privileged peers do not face.
b. Identify three different teaching strategies that developmental theorists have identified as being especially beneficial for students from low-income families.
What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Responses to the two parts of the question are as follows:
a. Documented challenges include the following (the response should identify at least three of them):
? Poor nutrition and health care (with implications for brain development, general physical development, energy level, and school attendance)
? Inadequate housing (e.g., overcrowding, lack of a quiet place to study, or perhaps residence in a homeless shelter)
? Toxic environment (air pollution, lead dust, etc.)
? Gaps in background knowledge (e.g., due to frequent transitions from one school to another, or due to limited exposure to books, museums, and the like)
? Emotional stress (e.g., due to lack of financial resources or frequent neighborhood violence)
? Greater probability of disabling conditions (could be physical, cognitive, or emotional)
? Lower quality schools (e.g., lack of equipment, high teacher turnover rates)
? Negative public perceptions (e.g., low expectations for achievement, tendency of others to blame poor people for their dire circumstances)
b. Possible strategies include these (the response should include at least three of them or reasonable research-based alternatives)
? Identify and build on children's strengths.
? Foster a sense of community and belonging in the classroom.
? Communicate clear expectations for behavior.
? Show how academic subject matter is relevant to real-world concerns.
? Expand children's knowledge base with field trips (e.g., to museums, zoos, or farms).
? Communicate high expectations for academic performance.
? Address the particular needs of homeless children (e.g., provide school supplies, find volunteers who can tutor children after school).
? Connect children with good role models.