25 too walk into a classroom on a cloudy autumn
walk into a classroom on a cloudy autumn
walk into a classroom on a cloudy autumn day it is their first day at school some
day it is their first day at school some
day it is their first day at school some eager some anxious they all walk in sit
eager some anxious they all walk in sit
eager some anxious they all walk in sit down and meet their data and begin their
down and meet their data and begin their
down and meet their data and begin their academic journey that will last 12 years
academic journey that will last 12 years
academic journey that will last 12 years living some of them in the university a
living some of them in the university a
living some of them in the university a story that sounds familiar to all of you
story that sounds familiar to all of you
story that sounds familiar to all of you I presume but within this classroom and
I presume but within this classroom and
I presume but within this classroom and within every classroom there is a gap a
within every classroom there is a gap a
within every classroom there is a gap a gap in their achievement that has been
gap in their achievement that has been
gap in their achievement that has been formed long before they started school
formed long before they started school
formed long before they started school this attainment gap is a form of an
this attainment gap is a form of an
this attainment gap is a form of an observed educational inequality whose
observed educational inequality whose
observed educational inequality whose causes and implications pose serious
causes and implications pose serious
causes and implications pose serious policy challenges research in the US so
policy challenges research in the US so
policy challenges research in the US so that we can predict whether a child will
that we can predict whether a child will
that we can predict whether a child will achieve the minimum test score required
achieve the minimum test score required
achieve the minimum test score required it for it to be admitted into University
it for it to be admitted into University
it for it to be admitted into University with ninety percent certainty at the age
with ninety percent certainty at the age
with ninety percent certainty at the age of seven how can we do this so early
of seven how can we do this so early
of seven how can we do this so early well the amount of words children’s here
well the amount of words children’s here
well the amount of words children’s here in the household at an early age has an
in the household at an early age has an
in the household at an early age has an important effect on their cognitive
important effect on their cognitive
important effect on their cognitive development of their abilities and their
development of their abilities and their
development of their abilities and their skills believe it or not words can make
skills believe it or not words can make
skills believe it or not words can make a difference at birth children learn to
a difference at birth children learn to
a difference at birth children learn to recognize their parents voice a voice
recognize their parents voice a voice
recognize their parents voice a voice that stimulates their brain like no
that stimulates their brain like no
that stimulates their brain like no other to put this in simple terms a
other to put this in simple terms a
other to put this in simple terms a broad range of words used by the parent
broad range of words used by the parent
broad range of words used by the parent when talking to their children through
when talking to their children through
when talking to their children through stories fairy tales and parent-child
stories fairy tales and parent-child
stories fairy tales and parent-child interaction has an important effect in
interaction has an important effect in
interaction has an important effect in the development of the cognitive
the development of the cognitive
the development of the cognitive abilities of the children a broad range
abilities of the children a broad range
abilities of the children a broad range of words can help the children become
of words can help the children become
of words can help the children become more knowledgeable and increase their
more knowledgeable and increase their
more knowledgeable and increase their abilities now most of the development of
abilities now most of the development of
abilities now most of the development of the children’s brain is done by the age
the children’s brain is done by the age
the children’s brain is done by the age of five before children and roll at
of five before children and roll at
of five before children and roll at school stimulating the brain before the
school stimulating the brain before the
school stimulating the brain before the enrollment aids enhances the abilities
enrollment aids enhances the abilities
enrollment aids enhances the abilities of the children both presently and later
of the children both presently and later
of the children both presently and later in life this is the birth of the
in life this is the birth of the
in life this is the birth of the attainment gap now research from
attainment gap now research from
attainment gap now research from Columbia University has found that
Columbia University has found that
Columbia University has found that students from higher income backgrounds
students from higher income backgrounds
students from higher income backgrounds have larger brain volumes in areas that
have larger brain volumes in areas that
have larger brain volumes in areas that support linguistic functions relatively
support linguistic functions relatively
support linguistic functions relatively the children from lower income
the children from lower income
the children from lower income backgrounds after controlling for both
backgrounds after controlling for both
backgrounds after controlling for both AIDS and gender this fundamental cause
AIDS and gender this fundamental cause
AIDS and gender this fundamental cause of VOD achievement gaps were ceased as
of VOD achievement gaps were ceased as
of VOD achievement gaps were ceased as children grow into school aides and
children grow into school aides and
children grow into school aides and their brain the children from higher
their brain the children from higher
their brain the children from higher income backgrounds still use rel I
income backgrounds still use rel I
income backgrounds still use rel I relatively greater share of their brain
relatively greater share of their brain
relatively greater share of their brain volumes to support linguistic functions
volumes to support linguistic functions
volumes to support linguistic functions now this can be traced back to parent
now this can be traced back to parent
now this can be traced back to parent I’ll interaction at an early age because
I’ll interaction at an early age because
I’ll interaction at an early age because children that come from a professional
children that come from a professional
children that come from a professional background here about 2200 words per
background here about 2200 words per
background here about 2200 words per hour of interaction with their parents
hour of interaction with their parents
hour of interaction with their parents now children that come from
now children that come from
now children that come from working-class parents here 1300 words
working-class parents here 1300 words
working-class parents here 1300 words per hour of parental interaction
per hour of parental interaction
per hour of parental interaction children whose parents live on welfare
children whose parents live on welfare
children whose parents live on welfare only here 700 now the implications of
only here 700 now the implications of
only here 700 now the implications of this achievement gap are staggering it
this achievement gap are staggering it
this achievement gap are staggering it implies that for those 25 children but
implies that for those 25 children but
implies that for those 25 children but walk into the classroom the playing
walk into the classroom the playing
walk into the classroom the playing field is not really level and the
field is not really level and the
field is not really level and the playing field is not level before they
playing field is not level before they
playing field is not level before they have even started learning anything
have even started learning anything
have even started learning anything schools can help reduce that gap but it
schools can help reduce that gap but it
schools can help reduce that gap but it never really disappears because the
never really disappears because the
never really disappears because the difference lies in the volume of the
difference lies in the volume of the
difference lies in the volume of the brain areas that support linguistic and
brain areas that support linguistic and
brain areas that support linguistic and mathematical functions the very
mathematical functions the very
mathematical functions the very persistence of this gap through school
persistence of this gap through school
persistence of this gap through school aides creates a feedback loop high
aides creates a feedback loop high
aides creates a feedback loop high achievers turn to score higher grades
achievers turn to score higher grades
achievers turn to score higher grades and test scores like all of you are and
and test scores like all of you are and
and test scores like all of you are and then other students are becoming
then other students are becoming
then other students are becoming increasingly motivated they tend to
increasingly motivated they tend to
increasingly motivated they tend to choose more academic subjects that
choose more academic subjects that
choose more academic subjects that increase their chance of admission to
increase their chance of admission to
increase their chance of admission to top tire universities from which they
top tire universities from which they
top tire universities from which they can springboard onto a professional
can springboard onto a professional
can springboard onto a professional career their children are likely to be
career their children are likely to be
career their children are likely to be born as children of professionals and
born as children of professionals and
born as children of professionals and are likely to hear 2200 words per day
are likely to hear 2200 words per day
are likely to hear 2200 words per day rather than 700 now I’m not denying the
rather than 700 now I’m not denying the
rather than 700 now I’m not denying the potential ambiguity is within these
potential ambiguity is within these
potential ambiguity is within these research or suggesting that schooling
research or suggesting that schooling
research or suggesting that schooling has no overall effect on student
has no overall effect on student
has no overall effect on student outcomes and I’m not ignoring that
outcomes and I’m not ignoring that
outcomes and I’m not ignoring that is coming from a professional background
is coming from a professional background
is coming from a professional background have amassed more savings to be invested
have amassed more savings to be invested
have amassed more savings to be invested in their children education both of the
in their children education both of the
in their children education both of the early aids and later in life but I do
early aids and later in life but I do
early aids and later in life but I do believe that the quality of parent I’ll
believe that the quality of parent I’ll
believe that the quality of parent I’ll interaction with their children is an
interaction with their children is an
interaction with their children is an important factor that is being
important factor that is being
important factor that is being systematically overlooked when drafting
systematically overlooked when drafting
systematically overlooked when drafting education policy across the world and
education policy across the world and
education policy across the world and that if we want to foster a society of
that if we want to foster a society of
that if we want to foster a society of greater equality of opportunity we need
greater equality of opportunity we need
greater equality of opportunity we need to take the necessary step of increasing
to take the necessary step of increasing
to take the necessary step of increasing by the quality of parent-child
by the quality of parent-child
by the quality of parent-child interaction so because of the pressure
interaction so because of the pressure
interaction so because of the pressure on politicians and policymakers and
on politicians and policymakers and
on politicians and policymakers and public intellectuals to reduce
public intellectuals to reduce
public intellectuals to reduce inequality this issue raises important
inequality this issue raises important
inequality this issue raises important policy implications for it implies that
policy implications for it implies that
policy implications for it implies that the academic track of a child cannot be
the academic track of a child cannot be
the academic track of a child cannot be reversed just within the school
reversed just within the school
reversed just within the school environment that even at preschool it
environment that even at preschool it
environment that even at preschool it may be too late it implies that
may be too late it implies that
may be too late it implies that researchers and policymakers need to go
researchers and policymakers need to go
researchers and policymakers need to go into the home where it all begins from
into the home where it all begins from
into the home where it all begins from the age of zero to three the 30 million
the age of zero to three the 30 million
the age of zero to three the 30 million words initiative named after the extent
words initiative named after the extent
words initiative named after the extent of the word gap that has been amassed
of the word gap that has been amassed
of the word gap that has been amassed from the child’s birth till its fourth
from the child’s birth till its fourth
from the child’s birth till its fourth birthday is a seattle-based initiative
birthday is a seattle-based initiative
birthday is a seattle-based initiative the trains consenting individuals from
the trains consenting individuals from
the trains consenting individuals from low-income backgrounds during recording
low-income backgrounds during recording
low-income backgrounds during recording sensors to measure how many words they
sensors to measure how many words they
sensors to measure how many words they tell their child on a daily basis these
tell their child on a daily basis these
tell their child on a daily basis these parents have children aids from 0 to 3
parents have children aids from 0 to 3
parents have children aids from 0 to 3 the 30 million words initiative starts
the 30 million words initiative starts
the 30 million words initiative starts so early because their research to finds
so early because their research to finds
so early because their research to finds out that the amount of words a child
out that the amount of words a child
out that the amount of words a child hears at an early aids highly correlated
hears at an early aids highly correlated
hears at an early aids highly correlated with its ultimate IQ and academic
with its ultimate IQ and academic
with its ultimate IQ and academic success so they use comprehensive parent
success so they use comprehensive parent
success so they use comprehensive parent directed curriculum to target both the
directed curriculum to target both the
directed curriculum to target both the behavioral and the cognitive development
behavioral and the cognitive development
behavioral and the cognitive development of the children by consistently
of the children by consistently
of the children by consistently implementing both updated technologies
implementing both updated technologies
implementing both updated technologies and cutting-edge educational methods
and cutting-edge educational methods
and cutting-edge educational methods with traditional methods they advise
with traditional methods they advise
with traditional methods they advise parents to engage in storytelling
parents to engage in storytelling
parents to engage in storytelling activities and conversations and read
activities and conversations and read
activities and conversations and read the children fairytales and at the same
the children fairytales and at the same
the children fairytales and at the same time they advance the research on this
time they advance the research on this
time they advance the research on this field and improve the potential of young
field and improve the potential of young
field and improve the potential of young people’s lives for
people’s lives for
people’s lives for low-income backgrounds now from an
low-income backgrounds now from an
low-income backgrounds now from an economic point of view this makes sense
economic point of view this makes sense
economic point of view this makes sense we devote billions in improving our
we devote billions in improving our
we devote billions in improving our schools and rightly so yet we completely
schools and rightly so yet we completely
schools and rightly so yet we completely ignore any potential benefits that could
ignore any potential benefits that could
ignore any potential benefits that could emerge from drafting an education policy
emerge from drafting an education policy
emerge from drafting an education policy aimed at training and educating parents
aimed at training and educating parents
aimed at training and educating parents to give their children a better chance
to give their children a better chance
to give their children a better chance at academic success later in life we
at academic success later in life we
at academic success later in life we acknowledge and accept that in the 21st
acknowledge and accept that in the 21st
acknowledge and accept that in the 21st century education needs to be and
century education needs to be and
century education needs to be and eventually due to automation will become
eventually due to automation will become
eventually due to automation will become more personalized yet we fail to
more personalized yet we fail to
more personalized yet we fail to recognize that soft skills that foster
recognize that soft skills that foster
recognize that soft skills that foster chains such as adaptability and
chains such as adaptability and
chains such as adaptability and creativity skills that will define that
creativity skills that will define that
creativity skills that will define that who will fall behind and who will thrive
who will fall behind and who will thrive
who will fall behind and who will thrive in an ever-changing labor market can be
in an ever-changing labor market can be
in an ever-changing labor market can be cultivated at a stage much earlier than
cultivated at a stage much earlier than
cultivated at a stage much earlier than we think and they can be cultivated at a
we think and they can be cultivated at a
we think and they can be cultivated at a level that cannot get more personal than
level that cannot get more personal than
level that cannot get more personal than a conversation or a story shared between
a conversation or a story shared between
a conversation or a story shared between parent and child but how do we aggregate
parent and child but how do we aggregate
parent and child but how do we aggregate and how do we enhance parenting on a
and how do we enhance parenting on a
and how do we enhance parenting on a national scale how can this state
national scale how can this state
national scale how can this state especially in a time when experts are
especially in a time when experts are
especially in a time when experts are not particularly trusted make
not particularly trusted make
not particularly trusted make recommendations on something as
recommendations on something as
recommendations on something as sensitive as how one can be a better
sensitive as how one can be a better
sensitive as how one can be a better parent and how can this message be
parent and how can this message be
parent and how can this message be communicated effectively to people from
communicated effectively to people from
communicated effectively to people from all walks of life from different
all walks of life from different
all walks of life from different educational backgrounds and different
educational backgrounds and different
educational backgrounds and different socio-economic and cultural backgrounds
socio-economic and cultural backgrounds
socio-economic and cultural backgrounds I think that the first thing we need to
I think that the first thing we need to
I think that the first thing we need to do is to update and extend existing
do is to update and extend existing
do is to update and extend existing research using population-level sound
research using population-level sound
research using population-level sound samples and accounting for the changes
samples and accounting for the changes
samples and accounting for the changes brought about by new technologies so new
brought about by new technologies so new
brought about by new technologies so new technologies have really brought the
technologies have really brought the
technologies have really brought the ability to bring about multimedia
ability to bring about multimedia
ability to bring about multimedia platforms then harness the ability of
platforms then harness the ability of
platforms then harness the ability of personalized learning however there
personalized learning however there
personalized learning however there remains the concern that if used at an
remains the concern that if used at an
remains the concern that if used at an early age too much screen time can have
early age too much screen time can have
early age too much screen time can have adverse effects on the mechanical and
adverse effects on the mechanical and
adverse effects on the mechanical and the physical mental health of the
the physical mental health of the
the physical mental health of the children we need to use cutting-edge
children we need to use cutting-edge
children we need to use cutting-edge research methods interdisciplinary
research methods interdisciplinary
research methods interdisciplinary method
method
method in order to increase and enhance our
in order to increase and enhance our
in order to increase and enhance our knowledge of the matter to verify that
knowledge of the matter to verify that
knowledge of the matter to verify that this is an idea worth investing in the
this is an idea worth investing in the
this is an idea worth investing in the second thing we need to do is to proceed
second thing we need to do is to proceed
second thing we need to do is to proceed with small-scale tests of these policies
with small-scale tests of these policies
with small-scale tests of these policies in low-income communities and in inner
in low-income communities and in inner
in low-income communities and in inner cities to see whether it helps the
cities to see whether it helps the
cities to see whether it helps the people that can benefit the most from
people that can benefit the most from
people that can benefit the most from these policies the 30 million words
these policies the 30 million words
these policies the 30 million words initiative is looking at center based
initiative is looking at center based
initiative is looking at center based approaches incorporating Baker’s and
approaches incorporating Baker’s and
approaches incorporating Baker’s and training parents in order to enrich
training parents in order to enrich
training parents in order to enrich structurally the learning environment
structurally the learning environment
structurally the learning environment children in low-income communities
children in low-income communities
children in low-income communities growing but the 30 million words
growing but the 30 million words
growing but the 30 million words initiative is is Asakawa based
initiative is is Asakawa based
initiative is is Asakawa based initiative and similar initiatives
initiative and similar initiatives
initiative and similar initiatives operate at the local level to if we want
operate at the local level to if we want
operate at the local level to if we want to have a chance at reducing the
to have a chance at reducing the
to have a chance at reducing the attainment gap we need to adopt methods
attainment gap we need to adopt methods
attainment gap we need to adopt methods with nation level consistency with
with nation level consistency with
with nation level consistency with implement them in local level proximity
implement them in local level proximity
implement them in local level proximity in order to have a nation level impact
in order to have a nation level impact
in order to have a nation level impact thirdly we should aim to start programs
thirdly we should aim to start programs
thirdly we should aim to start programs directed at parents these return to
directed at parents these return to
directed at parents these return to school programs will need to start
school programs will need to start
school programs will need to start international scales giving incentives
international scales giving incentives
international scales giving incentives to parents to attend them and perform
to parents to attend them and perform
to parents to attend them and perform well at them and these returns to school
well at them and these returns to school
well at them and these returns to school programs should aim to parents that have
programs should aim to parents that have
programs should aim to parents that have children ranging from 80 to 7 and help
children ranging from 80 to 7 and help
children ranging from 80 to 7 and help them give giving them educational tools
them give giving them educational tools
them give giving them educational tools to enhance their children’s cognitive
to enhance their children’s cognitive
to enhance their children’s cognitive abilities fourthly we must not forget
abilities fourthly we must not forget
abilities fourthly we must not forget that the idea of parent-child
that the idea of parent-child
that the idea of parent-child interaction is there to complement our
interaction is there to complement our
interaction is there to complement our existing schools improving our existing
existing schools improving our existing
existing schools improving our existing schools and expanding our preschools
schools and expanding our preschools
schools and expanding our preschools public private sector partnerships are
public private sector partnerships are
public private sector partnerships are there to help us too for example the
there to help us too for example the
there to help us too for example the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is using some of its fans to assess the
using some of its fans to assess the
using some of its fans to assess the performance of teacher in atlanta-based
performance of teacher in atlanta-based
performance of teacher in atlanta-based communities they gather in store data
communities they gather in store data
communities they gather in store data analyze them in order to assess the
analyze them in order to assess the
analyze them in order to assess the teachers and figure out which of them
teachers and figure out which of them
teachers and figure out which of them could potentially need retraining and
could potentially need retraining and
could potentially need retraining and their coaching they use content sharing
their coaching they use content sharing
their coaching they use content sharing platforms to build effective teacher
platforms to build effective teacher
platforms to build effective teacher teams we must remember that improving
teams we must remember that improving
teams we must remember that improving the learning environment doesn’t always
the learning environment doesn’t always
the learning environment doesn’t always mean creating policy from scratch it
mean creating policy from scratch it
mean creating policy from scratch it means identify
means identify
means identify ideas work improving them and
ideas work improving them and
ideas work improving them and complimenting them with new ones despite
complimenting them with new ones despite
complimenting them with new ones despite potential cultural and moral setbacks
potential cultural and moral setbacks
potential cultural and moral setbacks these four points are what I see as our
these four points are what I see as our
these four points are what I see as our best chance to improve the play and
best chance to improve the play and
best chance to improve the play and level the playing field for those 25
level the playing field for those 25
level the playing field for those 25 children entering in the average
children entering in the average
children entering in the average classroom so that they can have a chance
classroom so that they can have a chance
classroom so that they can have a chance to find the quality of opportunity
to find the quality of opportunity
to find the quality of opportunity within their school environment now I
within their school environment now I
within their school environment now I started looking into this topic curious
started looking into this topic curious
started looking into this topic curious about what defines learning and teaching
about what defines learning and teaching
about what defines learning and teaching in which teaching methods work within a
in which teaching methods work within a
in which teaching methods work within a learning environment reading around I
learning environment reading around I
learning environment reading around I realize that I am indebted to my parents
realize that I am indebted to my parents
realize that I am indebted to my parents more than I thought I was four stories
more than I thought I was four stories
more than I thought I was four stories conversations that frankly most of them
conversations that frankly most of them
conversations that frankly most of them I don’t even remember I was too young
I don’t even remember I was too young
I don’t even remember I was too young and this applies to most of the people
and this applies to most of the people
and this applies to most of the people in this room my motivation for this talk
in this room my motivation for this talk
in this room my motivation for this talk is that I feel that too few people know
is that I feel that too few people know
is that I feel that too few people know the consequences of this attainment gap
the consequences of this attainment gap
the consequences of this attainment gap and that not enough parents know how big
and that not enough parents know how big
and that not enough parents know how big an impact they can create on their
an impact they can create on their
an impact they can create on their children’s life just by one more bedtime
children’s life just by one more bedtime
children’s life just by one more bedtime story thank you
story thank you
story thank you [Applause]
”
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