"For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath."
This was picked up by Sociologist Merton who coined the term ‘The Matthew Effect’ to explain the inequalities in society.

In reading, the Matthew effect refers to the idea that proficient readers tend to read more, thereby enhancing their reading skills, while struggling readers often resist reading, impeding their reading development. Consequently, this disparity causes the gap between proficient and struggling readers to widen.   Extending this concept to the realm of language development in children, we observe a similar gap that can hinder learning. Children utilise oral language for reading acquisition in their early years and then read to reinforce their language skills and broaden their knowledge as they grow older. Bridging this gap is a continual focus of our work with children with Specific Learning Disabilities (SpLD). As Specialist Teachers in Curriculum Remediation, we encounter children exhibiting phonological deficits as well as language difficulties (both receptive and expressive), struggling to narrow the expanding gap. Our objective is to provide ample support in both receptive and expressive language skills by creating experiences that build their confidence, thereby fostering a positive learning environment.

Allow me to share the journey of one of my students where a concerted emphasis on developing language skills has resulted in remarkable progress. R, an 8-year-old non-native English speaker in grade 3, is dyslexic and exhibits typical phonological deficits. Interventions initially focused on the phonological level, as any reading task posed a significant challenge for him, often leading to delays and avoidance strategies. He showed a preference for books featuring aliens, demons, ogres, and similar themes. Shared reading sessions were employed, leading to steady progress as he grasped the letter-sound relationships and began decoding short stories, picture books, and brief paragraphs. His writing skills progressed to composing words and short sentences of 3 to 5 words. During our sessions, he displayed motivation and a willingness to extend himself when tasks were appropriately broken down. However, we eventually reached a plateau, prompting the need to encourage him to utilise his language skills to expand his learning further.

It is well-known that individuals with reading disabilities like dyslexia may lag behind their peers in oral language development, as language acquisition often relies on reading in later grades. Language skills such as vocabulary, general knowledge, syntax, and even memory heavily depend on reading for their development (Stanovich, 1988). Thus, it was time for R to transition from using oral language for reading to reading for the purpose of developing his language competencies in speaking and writing. After consulting with his parents and coordinating with the school, we decided to incorporate topics being taught in his classes. R's interest and motivation soared as a result. He demonstrated improved performance after orally discussing the topic, with me transcribing his points onto a graphic organiser. Seeing his ideas visually represented bolstered his confidence, and relevant vocabulary naturally found its way into our discussions. Additionally, he began maintaining a vocabulary notebook, writing down 2 to 3 new words daily. Sometimes, we supplemented our sessions with short videos or stories related to the topic, or engaged in role-playing activities during face-to-face sessions to make learning more engaging. These role-plays often led to moments of levity, helping him relax and engage more fully. For instance, during an online session, I involved my pet dog as we discussed the topic of pets. R chose to write about having a goldfish as a pet.

With various strategies at our disposal to encourage receptive and expressive language, R began writing with growing confidence, albeit starting with just a few sentences. Each step forward represents progress toward narrowing the gap between himself and his peers, thereby mitigating the negative effects of the Matthew Effect. It's a step in the right direction, wouldn't you agree?

Article written by: Veena Jayanth
DAS International Senior Specialist Teacher & RETA Fellow