Oral language and socioeconomic status: the Irish context

Abstract

International studies have documented large effects of SES on oral language competence and researchers have suggested that differences in oral language competence at school entry may be one factor contributing to educational disadvantage. The current study made use of data provided by the Growing Up in Ireland survey in order to quantify the association between SES and oral language competence in a nationally representative sample of young Irish children. Specifically, the association between SES (operationalised as income, occupational status and education) and expressive vocabulary was quantified in samples of 3 and 5-year-old children. In order to place the Irish figures within an international context, parallel analyses were performed using data provided through the UK-based Millennium Cohort Study. The results revealed a statistically significant association between SES and vocabulary within the Irish sample, which was linear in nature, small in magnitude and which declined in strength from the 3-year to the 5-year sample. Parallel analyses with the UK data revealed a stronger association and it was concluded that the association between SES and oral language competence may be weaker in the Irish context than that reported internationally.