ERIC Number: EJ1144715
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2017
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-2194
EISSN: N/A
Inhibitory Control of Spanish-Speaking Language-Minority Preschool Children: Measurement and Association with Language, Literacy, and Math Skills
Lonigan, Christopher J.; Allan, Darcey M.; Goodrich, J. Marc; Farrington, Amber L.; Phillips, Beth M.
Journal of Learning Disabilities, v50 n4 p373-385 Jul-Aug 2017
Children's self-regulation, including components of executive function such as inhibitory control, is related concurrently and longitudinally with elementary school children's reading and math abilities. Although several recent studies have examined links between preschool children's self-regulation or executive function and their academic skill development, few included large numbers of Spanish-speaking language-minority children. Among the fastest growing segments of the U.S. school-age population, many of these children are at significant risk of academic difficulties. We examined the relations between inhibitory control and academic skills in a sample containing a large number of Spanish-speaking preschoolers. Overall, the children demonstrated substantial academic risk based on preschool-entry vocabulary scores in the below-average range. Children completed assessments of language, literacy, and math skills in English and Spanish, when appropriate, at the start and end of their preschool year, along with a measure of inhibitory control, the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders task, which was administered at the start of the preschool year in the child's dominant conversational language. Scores on this last measure were lower for children for whom it was administered in Spanish. For both English and Spanish outcomes, those scores were significantly and uniquely associated with higher scores on measures of phonological awareness and math skills but not vocabulary or print knowledge skills.
Descriptors: Spanish Speaking, Language Minorities, Preschool Children, Inhibition, Self Control, Measurement, Executive Function, At Risk Students, Language Skills, Literacy, Mathematics Skills, Early Intervention, English Language Learners, Achievement Tests, English (Second Language), Surveys, Language Proficiency, Second Language Learning, Vocabulary, Reading Skills
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) (NIH)
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Florida; California; Kansas; New Mexico
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement; Woodcock Munoz Language Survey
Grant or Contract Numbers: HD052120; HD060292