Poster #38 - Exploring Subgroups of Preschool Academic Ability: A Strengths-Based Perspective of Bilingual Development

• In Event: Poster Session 20

Abstract

Preschool is a critical period for establishing early academic skills that support children’s literacy and math development (Weiland & Yoshikawa, 2013). Almost a third of U.S. preschoolers are dual language learners (DLL), with the majority (60%) being Spanish-English learners (Park et al., 2018). Research has established that Spanish-English DLLs are a highly heterogeneous population (Park et al., 2018); during preschool their academic development is highly variable and often uneven across skills and languages (Hammer et al., 2014; Oller & Eilers, 2002). Studies that group DLLs into a monolithic population or analyze their abilities in terms of the difference from monolingual norms can perpetuate deficit perspectives of bilingualism and obscure variation that may be consequential for their academic success (Soto-Boykin et al., 2021; Halpin et al., 2021; Escobar & Tamis-Lemonda, 2017). More systematic investigation of variability in academic development within Spanish-English DLLs is needed to shift research towards a strength-based perspective of DLLs and inform linguistically responsive and inclusive educational practices (Marian & Hayakawa, 2020; Espinosa, 2015).
Latent profile analysis (LPA) is useful for examining variability in academic ability within populations (Ferguson et al., 2020). LPA measures both inter- and intra-individual variation across multiple indicators, which can reveal subgroups based on patterns of characteristics (Vermut & Magidson, 2002; Collins & Lanza, 2010). Previous studies have classified preschool DLLs into several academic profiles with distinct patterns of variability across languages and skills (Halpin et al., 2021; López & Foster, 2021). However, DLLs’ academic profiles have not been studied longitudinally, so it remains unclear whether a child’s profile is indicative of their development over time.
The current study investigated academic profiles of preschool Spanish-English DLLs and their stability from fall to spring in the year before kindergarten entry. Participants included 354 Latino DLLs with a mean age of 54 months (SD=4.9 months). All children were typically developing with no parent or teacher concerns, received English-only instruction in preschool, and came from low-income homes in which Spanish was a primary language. Two LPAs were conducted to create Fall and Spring profiles using children’s Spanish and English vocabulary, grammar, phonological awareness, letter knowledge, and early numeracy scores. A multiple-group LPA and latent transition analysis (LTA) are underway and will examine changes in profile size, measurement, and children’s profile membership from Fall to Spring.
Results from the cross-sectional LPAs indicated that the number and characteristics of DLL profiles were similar in the Fall and Spring. At each time point, children fell into four profiles with unique patterns of abilities within and across languages. Preliminary comparisons between Fall and Spring profiles suggested that differences between profiles were generally stable. Within profiles, variability across languages and skills decreased, reflecting an overall decline in Spanish language skills. Results from the multiple-group LPA and LTA will further assess changes in profile structure and composition over time. Implications for early childhood educators and researchers who work with diverse populations will be discussed, with a focus on understanding variability within groups and individuals.

Authors

• Julie Smith, Teachers College Columbia University
  Presenting Author

• Carol Scheffner Hammer, Columbia University