Individual learner abilities differentially influence word learning success on the basis of socioeconomic status during the school years

• In Event: Maximizing word learning outcomes in school-aged children

Abstract

Differences in language ability related to socioeconomic status (SES) are evident within the first years of life and have been shown to have detrimental effects on later language outcomes (Pace et al., 2019; Cunningham & Stanovich, 1997). While these SES-related achievement and language gaps are known to widen throughout the course of the school years (Bradley & Corwyn, 2002; Chall, Jacobs & Baldwin, 2009), the mechanisms contributing to these growing gaps remain relatively understudied. Additionally, most SES-related research has focused on static measures of vocabulary and reading ability; however, these measures are known to differentially contribute to word learning ability on the basis of SES, and therefore, subsequent language growth during the school years (Maguire et al., 2018). Therefore, the current study clarifies the role of age, SES, and language knowledge (vocabulary and reading ability) on word learning ability during the school years.

One-hundred and twenty-four school-aged children (Mage = 136.28 months; SDage = 25.51 months; Range = 96 – 189 months) successfully completed a word learning from linguistic context task, as well as standardized measures of reading and vocabulary (GORT-5 and PPVT-4). SES was measured by self-reports of maternal education. We also included parental reports of bilingualism (N bilingual = 35) and home literacy environment (# of books in the home, average # of minutes read to, average # of minutes child reads) as covariates in all analyses.

Multiple regression analyses indicated that SES was a significant predictor of word learning ability, vocabulary, and reading across the school years. On average, children from lower SES homes performed significantly worse on all three measures. To address whether SES-related gaps in word learning differ as a function of age, and relate to reading and vocabulary differently, we computed two multiple regression models investigating how age and SES interact with vocabulary and reading independently, to predict a child’s word learning success. Vocabulary positively predicts word learning ability (ß= 0.005, p < .0001), as does age (ß= 0.26, p = .01), when controlling for reading ability, SES, bilingualism, and home literacy environment. Therefore, children with worse vocabularies perform worse on measures of word learning, both of which improve with age; however, this is independent of SES. Interestingly, an age x SES x reading ability interaction emerged (ß = 0.002, p = .05), independent of vocabulary. Simple slopes analyses indicated that for young children (< 11.5 years old) from households where mothers had not completed college (some college and below), individual differences in reading ability significantly accounted for variability in word learning success (Figure 1).

Our findings replicate previous research demonstrating a positive relationship between SES and language outcomes but extends this work to focus upon the school years. Vocabulary is a critical predictor of word learning ability for all children and having stronger reading abilities early on serves as a protective factor for word learning ability in low-mid SES, young school-aged children. These findings point to different paths by which children’s word learning abilities may be impacted by differences in the early home environment.

Authors

• Julie M. Schneider, Louisiana State University
  Presenting Author

• Alyson Abel, San Diego State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Mandy J Maguire, University of Texas at Dallas
  Non-Presenting Author