A Mechanism for Advanced Math Achievement in Bilingual Education: Executive Functions Mediate the Relation Between Educational Program and Math Performance

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Attention, Learning, Memory

Abstract

Mathematics contributes to children’s future career and lifelong financial security. Dual-language education may benefit children’s mathematics achievement (e.g., Gomez et al., 2005) and facilitate faster growth of mathematics performance (e.g., Choi et al., 2018). This suggest dual-language education may be a promising avenue for promoting children’s mathematics achievement. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for the advantages have yet been identified. Also, Hill (2018) suggested a null effect for dual-language education in mathematics achievement in his meta-analysis study pointing out the potential confounding variables such as socio-economic status (SES), attrition rate, and language proficiency. Thus, the relation between dual-language education and mathematics achievement is yet indeterminable and it is pivotal to take these variables into consideration. A large body of research has shown advantages in executive functions for bilinguals that emerge from managing two different languages on a regular basis (e.g., Bialystok, 2001). As two-way dual-language education (TWDL) provides academic content through two languages in a bilingual context, it is possible that frequent switching and managing of languages provides experience that enhances children’s executive functions. Further, executive functions is related to mathematics achievement (e.g., Blair & Razza, 2007). We posit that executive functions may be the underlying mechanism for higher mathematics achievement of children in TWDL. We hypothesized higher mathematics achievement and executive functions for children in TWDL compared to their peers in mainstream education and that executive functions would mediate the relation between education program and mathematics achievement.

Fourth grade children (n = 465; M = 10.4 years, SD = 5.5), attending either TWDL or mainstream education program within the same school, were tested on Spanish and English proficiency, mathematics achievement, and executive functions (i.e., Bivalent Shape Task). All analyses controlled for socioeconomic status and attrition was very low (n = 4). This indicate that they are not likely to be responsible for the difference found in mathematics achievement. Bilingual proficiency was a significant predictor for executive functions and mathematics achievement, however, the mediation model with bilingual proficiency was not significant (Figure 1). Children in TWDL had significantly higher math scores as well as significantly higher executive functions. Executive functions also significantly mediated the relation between education program and mathematics achievement (Figure 2), providing support for executive functions as a mechanism through which advanced mathematics performance is achieved.

Our results suggest that children in TWDL education are gaining cognitive skills that support mathematical achievement independent of SES and attrition. This cognitive benefit is not just the result of gaining bilingual proficiency, but also the linguistic environment created in TWDL. Our findings do not counter previous research on bilingual proficiency being an important factor for cognition, but extend the contexts and experiences that support the development of executive functions. Bilingual proficiency is an important factor, but bilingual experience in classrooms may be even more influential in supporting cognitive development that translates to children’s academic achievement. Therefore, the data support the use of two-way dual-language education as an effective educational program to support mathematics achievement.

Authors

• Sangmi Park, Clark University
  Presenting Author

• Alena G Esposito, Clark University
  Non-Presenting Author