Socio-economic differences in foundation-level literacy

The foundation literacy skills of children from differing socio-economic ba ckgrounds were investigated in a cross-sectional study. The children were a ged between 4 and 8 rears and attended Nursery or Primary 1,2 or 3 classes. Low socioeconomic status (SES) was associated with impairments for chronol ogical age in letter knowledge as well as in both logographic and alphabeti c foundation components. There was also an effect on metaphonological skill . However, once the SES groups were equated for reading age, high and low S ES performance was indistinguishable. The results suggest that delayed acqu isition of foundation Literacy skills is traceable to a delay in acquiring letter-sound knowledge. Implications for intervention are discussed in the context of the foundation literacy framework.