Stephen Krashen on poverty and literacy

Prof. Stephen Krashen 12-08-2011 from Chicago Teachers Union on Vimeo.


Here are some of the highlights:

• The tougher standards movement is built on the premise that schools are broken.
• If you control for poverty, the US does very well in comparison to affluent students from other countries.
• The US has the highest level of children in poverty in the Industrialized world. 1 in 5 children live in poverty in the US (1 in 10 in Alberta and 1 in 25 in Finland)
• Better education will only get you a better job if jobs are available.
• The STEM crisis is a hoax. There is no shortage of engineers.
• If you want to do something about housing and education, first take care of poverty. Housing and education will take care of themselves.
• Poverty is the problem.
• There is practically zero correlation between international test scores and subsequent economic development.
• The impact of poverty on children is gigantic. Lack of food. Lack of healthcare. 
• Poor children have practically zero access to books.
• Study shows that in affluent areas children have access to over 200 books while children in poverty have access to less than 2 books at home. School is not levelling the playing field.
• Children in poverty have practically nothing to read.
• We must protect children against the affects of poverty.  This means three things: food (free and reduce meals). School nurses (medical care). Books and libraries (literacy)