Instructional Time and Variation in Executive Function Development in Early Elementary School (Poster 30)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Thursday 9:50 a.m.
  In Poster Session: Learning Processes: Reasoning, Memory, and Executive Functioning

Abstract

Recently, there has been an increased focus on the importance of school time for children’s learning. Although instructional time is linked to academic gains, its impact on executive functions (EFs)—self-regulation skills crucial for academic success—remains unclear. This study exploits quasi-random variation in test days to examine how instructional time affects students’ EFs in a nationally-representative U.S. sample. Results demonstrate that a kindergarten school year is associated with gains of 0.750 SDs in working memory and 0.537 SDs in cognitive flexibility. Initial quantile regressions suggest that kindergarten instructional time has larger effects on children with higher EFs. This study provides policy-relevant information on whether children missing school need additional EF support and how extra instructional time impacts EF gaps.

Author

• Jenna Elizabeth Finch, University of Nebraska - Lincoln