A new study suggests students affect one another’s language development in preschool classrooms and questions whether placing preschoolers at similar stages of development together is good education policy.

The study concluded that preschoolers' language growth was associated with the average level of language skills shown by their classmates. It also found that relatively less-skilled pupils seemed to be more affected by their classmates' skills than highly skilled pupils. – “Preschoolers' classmates influence their language skills.” e! Science News. 10/26/11.

This research may not surprise educators – kids obviously learn from their classmates. But, the article points out preschool students at similar developmental stages often learn together.

"In fact, in many publicly funded programs, disadvantaged children with relatively low skill levels are clustered with similarly performing peers. Our findings raise questions as to whether this is a sound practice,” (Laura Justice, a professor at Ohio State University’s School of Teaching and Learning and lead author of the study, said in the story).

Check it out.

Update on Early Learning in Senate Education Reform Bill: Yesterday, we wrote about early learning wins in the Senate rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Today, Early Ed Watch posted the first in what appears to be a series of stories that will look at potential early learning amendments and debates as the bill moves through Congress.

Early in the story, though, writer Laura Bornfreund warns “it may be an uphill battle, since not every relevant legislator is convinced that early childhood education belongs in ESEA.”
Stay tuned to @lbornfreund and @LisaGuernsey on Twitter and Early Ed Watch for developments.