What can we learn from research?
In this presentation, Professor Snow describes her two decades’ research on the oral language and literacy skills of high-risk young people – children and adolescents in state care and adolescents in the youth justice system. These young people embody what is often referred to as the “School-to-Prison pipeline”. Their early lives are characterised by a confluence of adverse childhood experiences, low socio-economic status, poor attachment to school, suspensions and exclusions, and low academic attainment. Their need for rigorous instruction is magnified, relative to the needs of their peers whose lives promote higher chances of academic success. Findings from this research will be summarised, together with implications at policy and practice levels in education.
