According to a new research by NYU’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, children who use learning materials such as books and toys and are engaged in learning activities and conversations during their early years are more likely to develop cognitive abilities that will lead them to academic success. “Our study confirms that strong home learning environments arm children with foundational skills that are springboards to long-term academic achievement,” said Catherine Tamis-LeMonda, the study’s lead author and a professor of applied psychology at NYU Steinhardt.
The study has shown that a home learning environment fosters both children’s language and cognitive development. Participation in learning activities, interactions with parents and the availability of learning tools are key elements supporting literacy and academic skills and are good predictors of a student’s academic level in 5th grade. The NYU Steinhardt’s research is not the the first to highlight the determining influence of early childhood experiences on further academic success but it confirms the major influence of families on a child’s academic outcomes.
Picture: The Illustrated Newspaper, by Platt Powell Ryder (Google Art Project, Wikimedia Commons, w/Effects)
