Changing Perceptions: The Literacy Development of Children Prenatally 8xposed to Crack or Cocaine

Abstract

This article presents an overview of 26 children prenatally exposed to crack or cocaine and a case study of one focal child. The article begins with a more global view that considers the literacy development of all of the children who were part of a longitudinal, multi-case study exploring their literacy development. Despite the prenatal drug exposure, each child was living in a stable foster or adoptive home situation. Each child was observed monthly either at home or at school over the 4 years of the study. The researcher's observations were enriched by the comments of parents, teachers, and children. The following developmental literacy concepts were systematically observed: drawing and writing, book knowledge, concept-of-word in print, book reading, and orthographic knowledge. This study describes the success in the development of literacy of the majority of the children as they moved through preschool and elementary school. The article then focuses on one child, Mario, whose case is typical of the children within the study. After 4 years, Mario was making satisfactory literacy progress commensurate with his peers in a regular school classroom. His literacy success was supported by the physical and emotional support of his foster mother and teachers, his determination to learn to read and write, and his positive adjustment to the expectations of his teachers.