1. Meaningful Differences
Betty Hart and Todd Risley from the University of Kansas
Studied 42 families for 2 and ½ years, beginning when children were between 7 and 9 months of age.
13 families: Higher SES
23 families: Middle/Lower SES
6 families: Low SES (public assistance)
Observed every month for 1 hour
Hart and Risley, from the University of Kansas, conducted a landmark study in the mid 1960’s that has been replicated many times. The last time it was replicated was in 2006 and the results were the same. Their study looked at 42 families for 2 and ½ years, beginning when children were between 7 and 9 months of age.
The breakdown of the families were as follows:
13 families were considered to be higher SES
23 families were Middle/lower SES (working class)
6 families were Low SES (receiving public assistance)
They observed families every month for one hour. During the observations, they told families to go about their normal daily business. The observers just observed. They did not interact with the parents or children.

2. Meaningful Differences in Early Language Experiences
Welfare
Working Class
Professional
Cumulative Words used per hour
616
1251
2153
Different words used per hour
149
216
297
Utterances to child per hour
178
301
487
Minutes interacting with child per hour 18 26 42
Researchers recorded and compiled data from the home observations. They looked at the following:
Cumulative words per hour,
Different words used per hour,
Utterances to the child each hour,
And minutes spent interacting with the child during the hour observation.
Here is what they found. Take a moment to look at this data. What do you see? What does it mean? Reflect for a moment and then share your thoughts with a partner.

3. Meaningful Differences in Early Language Experiences
Welfare
Working Class
Professional
Affirmations per hour 5 12 32
Prohibitions per hour 11 7
Hart and Risley also looked at affirmations and prohibitions. Affirmations were those utterances that extended language. For example, when a little girl pointed to yogurt and said, “Blue”, the mother replied, “Yes, you want the blueberry yogurt. Let me get a spoon so you can eat your blueberry yogurt.”
Prohibitions were those utterances that stopped language. For example, when a little boy was touching the TV, the mother said, “Stop that.”
This data was taken in homes with one or just a few children. In our classrooms, we have many children. Take a moment to think about your classroom. As teachers, what do we do to affirm or extend language? Written reflection or pair share. Invite teachers to share with the larger group.

4. Meaningful Differences in Early Language Experiences Cumulative Language Experience in a Typical Week
Welfare
Working Class
Professional
62,000 words
125,000 words
215,000 words
We’ve had an opportunity to look at words per hour. Now, let’s look at how this extrapolates to language in a typical week. Look at the data. What do you see? What does it mean? Think about your students. What differences do you see in language development between those children who have limited language experiences and those who have very rich language experiences prior to entering school?

5. Meaningful Differences in Early Language Experiences Cumulative Language Experience at Age Four
Welfare
Working Class
Professional
13 million words
26 million words
45 million words
84,000 words of discouraging feedback
100,000 words of encouraging feedback
560,000 words of encouraging feedback
Hart and Risley extrapolated the data even further to look at language experiences by age four. Look at the difference in words in the first row of data. Now look at the second row. Notice that the children from low SES families received 84,000 words of discouraging feedback. Compare that to the 560,000 words of encouraging feedback that children from professional families received. How does this difference impact children’s self-concept and confidence as a learner?
Again, let’s think about our classrooms. What can we do to compensate for those children who have received little encouraging feedback and much discouraging feedback? Reflect and share with a partner. Invite teachers to share with the larger group.