Sharon Grover from the Hedberg Public Library in Janesville passed on information about a fascinating article in the New Yorker magazine about Providence Talks, a project in Providence, Rhode Island that attempts to address the word gap (based on the Hart and Risley study that indicated that children from low income families hear 30 million fewer words by the time they turn three).  Parents can track how many interactions they are having with their children, and coaches come into the home to talk about ways to incorporate reading, talking and singing into everyday life.

The article brings up some interesting critiques of the program and of the underlying research itself, but it also gives a fairly optimistic look at a project that is attempting to address an important problem.  I recommend reading it if you are interested.