ERIC Number: EJ1183113
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2018-Jul
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0012-1649
EISSN: N/A
A Cross-Language Study of Decontextualized Vocabulary Comprehension in Toddlerhood and Kindergarten Readiness
Friend, Margaret; Smolak, Erin; Liu, Yushuang; Poulin-Dubois, Diane; Zesiger, Pascal
Developmental Psychology, v54 n7 p1317-1333 Jul 2018
Recent studies demonstrate that emerging literacy depends on earlier language achievement. Importantly, most extant work focuses on "parent-reported production" prior to 30 months of age. Of interest is whether and how "directly assessed vocabulary comprehension" in the 2nd year of life supports vocabulary and kindergarten readiness in the 4th year. We first contrasted orthogonal indices of parent-reported production and directly assessed vocabulary comprehension and found that comprehension was a stronger predictor of child outcomes. We then assessed prediction from vocabulary comprehension controlling for maternal education, preschool attendance, and child sex. In 3 studies early, decontextualized vocabulary comprehension emerged as a significant predictor of 4th year language and kindergarten readiness accounting for unique variance above demographic control variables. Further we found that the effect of early vocabulary on 4th year kindergarten readiness was not mediated by 4th year vocabulary. This pattern of results emerged in English monolingual children (N = 48) and replicated in French monolingual (N = 58) and French-English bilingual children (N = 34). Our findings suggest that early, decontextualized vocabulary may provide a platform for the establishment of a conceptual system that supports both later vocabulary and kindergarten readiness, including the acquisition of a wide range of concepts including print and number. Differences between parent-reported and directly assessed vocabulary and the mechanisms by which decontextualized vocabulary may contribute to conceptual development are discussed.
Descriptors: Toddlers, Vocabulary Skills, Vocabulary Development, Kindergarten, School Readiness, Emergent Literacy, Context Effect, Longitudinal Studies, Parent Surveys, Interviews, Self Disclosure (Individuals), Check Lists, Computer Assisted Testing, Diagnostic Tests, Child Language, Foreign Countries, Language Skills, Measures (Individuals), Intelligence Tests, Verbal Ability, Vocabulary, Statistical Analysis
American Psychological Association. Journals Department, 750 First Street NE, Washington, DC 20002. Tel: 800-374-2721; Tel: 202-336-5510; Fax: 202-336-5502; e-mail: order@apa.org; Web site: http://www.apa.org
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Kindergarten
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: Switzerland; Canada; United States
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory; Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test
Grant or Contract Numbers: HD468058; DC007361