Poster #79 - Math and Literacy Cross-Domain Associations Across Preschool to Kindergarten for Spanish-English Dual Language Learners

• In Event: 2-163 - Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Section - Education, Schooling

Integrative Statement

Promoting school readiness among dual language learners (DLLs) has become a national priority (U.S. HHS/ED 2016). We focus here on Spanish-English DLLs. Latino DLL children’s math and literacy skills at kindergarten entry are significantly lower than those of their non-Hispanic White and/or monolingual English speaking peers (Halle, et al., 2012). This is important, as children with lower math and reading skills at kindergarten entry are more likely to have persistent math and reading difficulties (Duncan, et al., 2007), and children with persistent math and reading difficulties are less likely to complete high school and attend college (Duncan & Siegler, 2012).

Cross-domain relations between math and literacy skills are well established (Purpura et al., 2017), but not well understood. Children’s early math skills are better predictors of later literacy skills than early literacy skills (Claessens et al., 2009; Duncan et al., 2007), but early literacy skills also predict later math (Purpura et al., 2011). Among English-speaking families, the home numeracy environment predicts both children’s math and literacy skills, a relation mediated by children’s oral language proficiency (Purpura et al., 2017). However, among Greek families living in Greece, the literacy environment best predicts the same skills (LeFevre et al., 2010), suggesting cultural variation. Understanding how math and literacy are related among Latino DLL children with varying degrees of English proficiency and differential home supports for learning will inform future research, intervention, and classroom practice for this population.

Our specific research questions are as follows:
1) Are there cross-domain associations between DLLs’ math skills at the beginning of pre-k and literacy skills at the end of pre-k?

2) Do cross-domain associations vary by parental engagement/beliefs or English proficiency?

3) Are cross-domain associations mediated by oral language proficiency (in English or Spanish) or mathematical vocabulary?

Data were drawn from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Birth Cohort (ECLS-B). Children were assessed when they were in Pre-K and Kindergarten. The present study focuses on a subsample of children (n=900) whose parents indicated that Spanish was the primary language spoken in the home at the Pre-K time point (Table 1). Researchers directly assessed math skills (number sense, geometry, counting, operations, and patterns) and literacy skills (letter recognition, letter sounds, early reading, phonological awareness, knowledge of print conventions, matching word) at each time point. Higher scores indicate greater knowledge of early math and literacy skills. Autoregressive cross-lagged path analysis was used to estimate the influence of Pre-K math and literacy skills on Kindergarten skills across time and across domains (Figure 1).

Data analyses are ongoing. Results thus far indicate significant positive cross-domain effects of Pre-K math and literacy skills on future skills in Kindergarten. These effects remained unique even after accounting for within-time correlations, autoregressive paths, as well as the influence of child sex and socioeconomic status. Pre-K math scores were a stronger predictor of Kindergarten literacy than vice versa. The moderating role of English language proficiency and parental support in these processes will be reported, and implications, limitations, and directions for future research presented.

Authors

• Lydia DeFlorio, University of Nevada, Reno
  Presenting Author

• Jennifer A Mortensen, University of Nevada, Reno
  Non-Presenting Author