Poster #15 - Predicting Reading Growth Trajectories of Language-Minority Students: Effects of Parents' Home Language Input

• In Event: 64.090 - MTCC Poster Session 15
  In Poster Session: 64.090-2 - Reading, Literacy, and Language Supports for All

Abstract

This study examines the role of parents’ home language input on students’ reading growth trajectories from kindergarten through eighth grade and how its effect is moderated by English proficiency, using longitudinal data on a nationally representative sample. Results from multi-group latent basis growth models indicated three major findings. First, language minority students’ growth rate was faster when parents preserved their native language compared to when parents used English. Second, for overall reading development this benefit was greater for language minority students with initially low English proficiency than English proficient peers. Third, for higher-order reading comprehension skills, the benefit of parents’ use of native language in kindergarten was evident in English proficient language minority students.

Authors

• Unhee Ju, Michigan State University

• Eunsoo Cho, Michigan State University

• Jackie Eunjung Relyea, Harvard University

• Ina Choi, Michigan State University