Children destined for wealth, health, and happiness in adult life can be spotted at five, if a new University of London study is anything to go by.
The Daily Telegraph reports the study:
Predictions of adult poverty are now so accurate that up to nine in 10 youngsters destined for a lifetime of disadvantage can be spotted and helped before they leave primary school, it says.
Even a simple copying test that gauges a child’s ability to replicate shapes and patterns at the age of five is an extremely accurate predictor of later success in school and early adulthood according to the study, by the Institute of Education at the University of London.
It seems combining timely assessment of a young child’s ability with careful investigation into the family situation can identify those most at risk. The Telegraph article goes on:
Research into young children’s ability to copy patterns and shapes such as diamonds, crosses and circles has confirmed that too many bright children from disadvantaged backgrounds are failing to fulfil their potential.
The report’s press release implies that much of this is thanks to our stratified society:
“this link with success holds true for all groups except those children who achieved a high copying score but come from families with low socio-economic status. This is a worrying finding that points to a key reason for the lack of social mobility.”
The UK might be less unequal than it was in 2000, but we are still more unequal than most other wealthy nations, both findings from a recent OECD report. As Dickens would remind us, social mobility, or the fluidity between classes, has always been low in Britain.
What does this mean for you? The good news is that if your child is using Maths-Whizz he or she is already on the right track – you’ve both made the decision to improve maths skills and you should be on the way towards increasing confidence and ability in equal measure.
If you’re not using Maths-Whizz, the good news is that there is no wrong time to boost a child’s ability and confidence, and the positive effects are likely to spread beyond being able to work out the change in a shop. As the report notes:
“It is possible that doing well in maths at age 7 acts to heighten children’s self-confidence and aspirations,” the report says.
“It may also encourage teachers to offer them more support.”
So sign up to Maths-Whizz, show your child that maths and learning are important, and then tell the teacher. Simply letting teachers know that your child is putting extra effort into the subject might encourage them to take more pro-active roles in his or her classroom education.
(via The Daily Telegraph)