An examination of the oral language competence of junior infant pupils attending DEIS and Non-DEIS schools

Abstract

Educational disadvantage remains a serious issue in Irish society. Research has suggested that differing styles and levels of competence in oral language may have implications for educational attainment across socio-economic groups. The current study involved an examination of the oral language competence of Irish children in Junior Infants in DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) and Non-DEIS schools. DEIS schools are those which have been granted entry to DEIS, the most recent governmental scheme for tackling educational disadvantage in Ireland, following identification of a significant level of need. Non-DEIS schools are those which have not gained access to the scheme due to a lower level of assessed need. Two samples of children were assessed. The first sample included 23 children from a DEIS school and 27 children from a Non-DEIS school, located in the East of the country. The second sample included 35 children from 2 DEIS schools located in the Southwest and 28 children from 2 Non-DEIS schools located in the Northwest. Children's receptive language was assessed using the British Picture Vocabulary Scale III, which is a standardised measure of receptive vocabulary. Their expressive language was assessed through the collection of a language sample, which enabled the calculation of variables representing gross language development (Mean Length of Utterance), vocabulary diversity and syntactic development. The results demonstrated that differences between the two groups of children in both samples were largely of small or trivial effect size and not statistically significant, suggesting a negligible to small effect of socio-economic status on oral language competence.

Keywords:

• oral language
• educational disadvantage
• socio-economic status
• language measurement
• children

Acknowledgements

A very special thank you to all of the children, parents and teachers who kindly gave of their time and effort to enable completion of this study.

Notes on contributors

Grace Molloy is a graduate of the MA in Psychology programme at the University of Limerick. She has particular interests in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and child development.

Lelia Murtagh is Director of the MA in Education and Lecturer at the School of Education, University College Dublin. She has expertise in the areas of psycholinguistics and language acquisition.

Laura McAvinue is a lecturer in the Department of Psychology, University of Limerick and a professionally trained educational psychologist. Her research interests lie in the areas of cognition and learning.

Notes

1 The final school year at primary level in Ireland.

2 Recruited and tested by corresponding author.

3 Recruited and tested by first author.