Exploring the Mechanisms Between the Classroom Quality in Early Childhood and Mathematics in Middle Childhood

• In Event: 3-080 - Beyond Numeracy: Varied Predictors of Mathematics Knowledge

Integrative Statement

Introduction
An extensive body of research has investigated links between early environments and children’s later outcomes (Hirsh-Pasek & Burchinal, 2006). One of the proximal contexts, the preschool environment, has emerged as a predictor of children’s short- and long-term language, literacy, and mathematics skills (Burchinal et al., 2002; Li et al., 2013; Vandell et al., 2010). However, the mechanisms linking these environments to later outcomes are still not well understood. In this study, we explore the extent to which executive function (EF) and language at age 5 act as mediators underlying association between the preschool environment at age 3 and mathematics skills at age 9.

Study population
Data for this study come from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, which is a longitudinal study that follows a birth cohort of 4,898 children to age 15 (Reichman et al., 2001). For the purpose of this study, participants include children and primary caregivers with data from baseline, and ages 3, 5 and 9 (N=3208) as well as teachers with data from child ages 5 and 9. Twenty one percent of the children for the total sample were White, 47% were Black, 27% were Hispanic, and 4% identified as other. Sixty five percent of mothers had an education level of high school or less, 24% completed some college, 11% had a college degree or higher.

Methods
The Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale-Revised (Harms et al., 1998) was used to assess the quality of the classroom environment. Children’s EF at age 5 was measured with the Leiter International Performance Scale-Revised that assesses children’s ability to maintain attention on a specific stimulus over time and suppress their impulses (Roid & Miller, 1997). Children’s early language was measured at age 5 by the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test, Third-Edition (Dunn & Dunn, 1997). Children’s mathematics skills were assessed at age 9 using the Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement-Applied Problems (Woodcock et al., 2001). The quality of home environment, age, gender, ethnicity, and mother’s education, vocabulary, marital status, and poverty status as well as prior skills (i.e., EF and language at age 3 and math skills at age 5) were used as covariates.

Results
A panel model in the longitudinal structural equation modeling (SEM) framework was used to analyze the data (see Figure 4.1). Results showed that the quality of the classroom environment at age 3 predicted EF (β=.24 p=.000) and language (β=.15, p=.005) at age 5. The quality of the classroom environment at age 3 did not directly predict mathematics at age 9; however, mediation analyses showed significant indirect effects between the quality of the classroom environment at age 3 and mathematics at age 9 through EF and language at age 5 (β=.02, p=.001, β=.04, p=.004, respectively).

Conclusions
These findings highlight two potential mediators underlying the association between the preschool environment and later mathematics. Specifically, results point to the importance of the preschool environment for children’s developing school readiness skills, which then predict later mathematics. These results may have implications for targeted intervention efforts in early childhood.

Authors

• Irem Korucu, Purdue University
  Presenting Author

• Sara Schmitt, Purdue University
  Non-Presenting Author