Growing up in a violent environment can result in severe problems for children. The Brain: Effects of Childhood Trauma examines problems in learning ability, mood, bonding, and attachment, and in problem-solving that can last a life-time with out intervention.

In a recent study Sandra Rollins Hurley, Ph. D., and Sally Blake, Ph.D., assistant professors at the University of Texas at El Paso, Department of Teacher Education, report their findings on the developmental consequences of violence on young children and their suggestions for fostering emergent literacy in “Emergent Literacy in a Violent World.”

The authors urge educators to recognize that children do not leave their home lives at home when entering the classroom and offer ways for educators to assist these students with literacy acquisition.

Violence clearly affects children; researchers who have studied the effects of community and domestic violence have found that trauma impairs a child’s memory and sense of time as well as his ability to develop trust. Feelings of shame, guilt, and helplessness are often present in victims of violence. The manifestations of these effects include a short attention span and impaired language development.

Children exposed to violence lack the positive environment and relationships vital for emergent literacy. The idea of emergent literacy acquisition is, in short, the theory that children do not suddenly read one day, but rather gather clues starting at age 2 or 3 that lead the their being able to read and write.

Suggestions for Intervention:

Building stable relationships is necessary for academic development, so educators need to maximize the time a child spends with one adult. Staff training and development specific to the needs of these children should be provided in order to maximize teacher effectiveness.

Because active engagement with text is necessary for children to learn to read and write, literacy-rich environments, with plenty of opportunities for children to respond personally to text, is a must.

Daily intervention in building relationships can positively affect emergent literacy and lay the foundations for growth and learning.