London, July 3 (IANS) Parents who foster a love of reading in their children early on are ensuring they get off to a flying start at school, a research claims.
The research also showed that attending pre-school and having parents who taught them a wide range of activities had a positive effect — whereas extended exposure to TV lowered their scores.
‘One message coming through loud and clear is that how a child learns in their very early years is critical for smooth transition into the educational system,’ said Professor James Law, Newcastle University, study co-author in the University of the West of England-led study.
‘What you do with your child and how you communicate with them when they’re under two is far more important than having a flash car or a detached house in the country,’ added Law, according to a University of West statement.
‘This is a very positive message as it gets us away from the belief that a child’s educational future is predetermined by standard measures of socio-economic disadvantage such as income, housing or the mother’s education,’ he said.
The review study is based on data from the University of Bristol-led Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children — a long-term population study of children born between April 1991 and December 1992 to mothers living in and around the city.
