Early Elementary Classroom Climate Universally Predicting Academic Gains Through Gains in Social-emotional Skills

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 9:45 am - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Social-Emotional Development and Regulation

Abstract

Improvements in classroom climate benefit children's academic development; however, the underlying mechanism is less thoroughly examined. The current study examined the mediating effect of gains in socio-emotional skills on the relationship between teacher-reported positive and negative climates and young children's gains in academic skills over one year, using data from 318 teachers and 6,310 children (48.1% girls, 41.5% kindergartners) from two US states. Generalization by English language learners (ELL) and special education statuses (SEN) was assessed. Results indicated that positive, but not negative, climate predicted gains in reading and math. Socio-emotional skills significantly mediated both associations, and effects generalized across ELL and SEN status. These findings highlight the importance of positive classroom climates in predicting academic development through socio-emotional skills.

Authors

• Nan Xiao, University of California, Irvine

• Kimberly R. M. Osborne, Arizona State University

• Sabina Low, Arizona State University