Word Gap

The "word gap" refers to the difference in the number of words children from higher-income families hear compared to those from lower-income families by age three. This early exposure impacts vocabulary development, language skills, and later educational success. Children exposed to more words tend to develop better communication skills, greater academic readiness, and increased cognitive abilities. Addressing the word gap involves encouraging parents and caregivers to engage in rich conversations, reading, and vocabulary-building activities with young children to promote equitable language development opportunities for all kids.