Socioeconomic Inequality and Children's Emergent Primary Literacy and Numeracy in Bangladesh

Abstract

We know little about how socioeconomic inequalities transmit disparities in young children's early primary literacy and numeracy. Drawing from family investment model this chapter examined parental material investment (PMI) and parental educational involvement (PEI) by which low-socioeconomic status (SES) might affect first-graders' literacy and numeracy scores in Bangladesh. Three-web data on low-SES, poor parental investments, and numeracy and literacy scores were collected from Bangladeshi first-graders and mothers through a final exam. The results from structural equation modeling suggested that low-income and fewer PMIs were directly and significantly associated with poor literacy achievement. Lower-education and lower frequency of PEI were directly and significantly associated with poor numeracy scores. Although both factors partially mediated the relationships between low-SES and poor school outcomes, lower frequency of PEI was stronger than fewer PMIs in the relationships between low-SES and children's poor literacy and numeracy outcomes during first grade.