Fadeout Myth Refuted

06/30/2009

When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.
Maya Angelou

An article in Preschool Matters, the newsletter of the National Institute for Early Education Research, reported the results of a British study confirming that all children benefit from quality preschool participation:

"New research findings refute the myths — used by opponents of preschool for all — that pre-K benefits ultimately fade out and are of no benefit to middle-income children. Instead, the evidence concludes the opposite — that high-quality pre-K sets the stage for later success and for children from middle- and low-income families.

"Edward Melhuish and colleagues found that 10-year-olds who had attended high-quality preschool scored 27 percent higher in math skills and performed better in other subjects compared to their peers who had attended low-quality preschools. Earlier studies comparing the preschoolers to children who had attended no preschool produced similar findings.

"Researchers determined that the benefits for children who attend a good preschool include improved mathematics, reading and social skills over several years. Melhuish, a professor of human development at Birkbeck, University of London, says he and his colleagues found that high-quality preschools offer learning opportunities over and above what most homes can provide. Children's ability to work independently improves significantly as a result of preschool, something he points out is a high predictor of future academic success."

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