Poster #54 - Dual Language Learning Preschoolers’ English and Spanish Vocabulary Skills Predicted Their Kindergarten Literacy

• In Event: Poster Session 06

Abstract

Research Questions
Accumulating evidence suggested the importance of oral language, especially vocabulary skills, as predictors of early literacy. However, it is not clear whether the importance of vocabulary skills holds true to young dual language learners (DLL), especially for vocabulary skills in their home language. The current study examined Spanish-speaking DLL vocabulary and later literacy outcomes and tested the unique predictability of their Spanish as well as English language skills at preschool entry for kindergarten literacy outcomes.

Method
This study utilized the dataset of the Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2009 Cohort. The analysis sample included 314 DLL prekindergartners (4-year-old cohort) who spoke Spanish as a home language. This comprises 22.51% of the 4-year-old cohort in the FACES 2009.
Baseline language skills were assessed with English (PPVT-4) and Spanish (TVIP) receptive vocabulary at the beginning of the prekindergarten year when the participating children began to attend Head Start. As the end of kindergarten literacy outcomes, Letter-Word and Word Attack (WJ-III) and English vocabulary (PPVT-4) were assessed.
Multi-level analysis was conducted using Mplus 7.31 to test the importance of baseline English and Spanish vocabulary by multi-level group comparison and multi-level path analysis. Several covariates were considered in the analysis. Child-level covariates included child gender, family poverty status, and mother’s high school education. Additionally, program type (full day versus half day) was controlled as a program-level covariate.

Results
Multilevel group comparison was conducted to compare the four groups of DLL children with differing English and Spanish vocabulary skills at HS entry: High-English/High-Spanish group, High-English/Low-Spanish group, Low-English/High-Spanish group, and Low-English/Low-Spanish group. High and low groups were based on the mean split. The comparison showed that High-English/High-Spanish group presented significantly higher scores in all kindergarten literacy outcomes than other language groups (Table 1).
Multilevel path analyses were conducted to model complex associations between baseline English and Spanish vocabulary skills and Kindergarten literacy. First, a direct path model showed significant direct effects where baseline English vocabulary skills significantly predicted kindergarten Letter-Word (β = .25; p ≤ .001), Word Attack (β = .22; p ≤ .001) and English vocabulary (β = .69; p ≤ .001). Baseline Spanish vocabulary skills approached significance or significantly predicted kindergarten Letter-Word (β = .09; p ≤ .10), Word Attack (β = .14; p ≤ .01), and English vocabulary (β = .15; p ≤ .001).
An indirect path model showed that baseline English vocabulary skills (β = .69; p ≤ .001) and Spanish vocabulary skills (β = .15; p ≤ .001) significantly predicted kindergarten PPVT, which, in turn, predicted kindergarten Letter-Word (β = .54; p ≤ .001) and Word Attack scores (β = .38; p ≤ .001). (see Table 2).
Results suggest both Spanish and English vocabulary skills uniquely predicted kindergarten literacy and its predictability seems due to kindergarten vocabulary. Implications about supporting DLL’s multiple language development, especially home language vocabulary skills, will be discussed.

Authors

• Seung-Hee Claire Son, University of Utah
  Presenting Author

• Ji Young Choi, Iowa State University