Poster #86 - The Influence of Changes in Home Learning Environment on Children’s Early Reading Development Using ECLSK:2011

• In Event: 3-053 - Poster Session 10
  In Poster Session: PS 10 Section - Education, Schooling

Integrative Statement

Building on prior research on home literacy environment (HLE), the study set out to examine its construct validity and stability during early elementary grades utilizing a national dataset, Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten (ECLSK-2011). It extends the prior research on two fronts. First, the study examines the extent to which home learning environment changes over time as well as how it relates to reading growth by incorporating repeated measures of reading scores at three critical developmental junctures, as opposed to a single reading outcome measure (c.f. Niklas et al., 2016). Second, few studies have examined the extent to which items measuring home learning environment operate over an extended period of time (i.e., kindergarten through grade 4) using a large-scale survey with respect to its construct validity in explaining children’s development of literacy skills. Therefore, three hypotheses were tested regarding whether (1) the correlated three-factor structure corresponding to the three hypothesized domains of HLE (see Rodriguez & Tamis-LeMonda, 2011) fits better to the data than the one-factor structure across three measurement points (i.e., K-1, grades 1-2, and grades 3-4); (2) the correlated three-factor structure of the HLE remains the same across these three measurement points; and (3) changes occurring in HLE across three measurement points are positively associated with reading growth over the three developmental periods. The study utilizes structural equation modeling to specify a longitudinal factor model of HLE to examine its measurement invariance across time and to assess structural relationships between HLE and students’ latent reading growth. The sample included 2,354 students and their reading scores corresponding to those three measurement occasions. Results suggested HLE could be defined by 10-12 items as a three-factor model comprising home literacy activities, provision of materials, and parental engagement measured at three assessment points, respectively. The second hypothesis tested whether the HLE 3-factor structure in figure 1 was stable over time. The results indicated the model with constrained item parameters; that is, equal loadings (shown as circles in figure 1) and equal intercepts fit the data better (AIC= 114642.499, RMSEA= 0.047, p >.05) than the unconstrained model which indicated measurement non-invariance over time (AIC=127123.379, RMSEA=0.065, p <.01). Finally, students’ initial HLE factor score was positively related to their reading scores at kindergarten entry (standardized coefficient = 0.19, p < .001) and the average change in HLE during students’ early elementary years was positively related to growth in reading (standardized coefficient = 0.16, p < .05), providing support for the third hypothesis regarding the positive effect of HLE on students’ reading development during their K-4 elementary grades. Subsequent models added family socioeconomic status and language background for subgroup analyses to refine our understanding of the factors underpinning HLE and its stability and relationship with reading development across different groups over time.

Author

• Tingting Reid, University of Hawaii at Manoa
  Presenting Author