Because of the large numbers of students living in poverty in the world, more data are needed to
establish an understanding of the relationship between home environment and reading success,
particularly for preadolescent students. Scholars have argued further that researchers should limit
their conceptualisation of middle-class White Americans as the norm and should view other
ethnic and social class groups only in terms of their deviance from this norm (Ogbu, 1981; Scott-
Jones, 1984, 1987; Slaughter and Epps, 1987). This research seeks to examine an economically
disadvantaged group as a distinct entity.