The importance of stimulating learning environments and parental engagement in developing early literacy skills--and the influence of socio-economic status (SES) on the availability of such supports--is well documented. Some recent studies indicate that these same factors may also play an important role when it comes to neurological development. Brain studies of low SES children have shown them to be less able to filter out irrelevant information in a learning situation. Although this does not appear to influence their performance of simple tasks, it suggests that they may have to work harder to achieve the same results as other children. On the other hand, under the right conditions, the adaptations made by children experiencing the stresses of low SES may actually allow them to excel. These studies provide educators with some clues about how to help children from impoverished environments make the most of their learning opportunities. (Contains 18 endnotes.)