ERIC Number: EJ1453341
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2024
Pages: 28
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0013-5984
EISSN: EISSN-1554-8279
Predictors of Kindergarten Science Achievement and Its Growth across Elementary School for Multilingual and English Monolingual Learners
Matthew E. Foster; Jacqueline M. Caemmerer; Briana Hennessy; Sara A. Smith; Lisa M. López; Trina D. Spencer
Elementary School Journal, v125 n2 p233-260 2024
Using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Cohort (2010-2011), this study is the first to investigate predictors of kindergarten science achievement and growth across elementary school--English language proficiency (ELP), executive functioning, math and reading achievement, parent-engaged science and math activities, and classroom science content coverage--separately for multilinguals (n = 1,023) and English monolinguals (n = 12,329). Multigroup latent growth curve models indicate initial differences in science are largely explained by the group of predictors, multilinguals learn science more rapidly in early elementary school than English monolinguals, and science scores are not meaningfully different between the fifth-grade groups. Among other notable results, ELP predicts science growth for both groups and math achievement predicts science growth for multilinguals only; reading achievement only predicts growth for English monolinguals. The findings from this study strongly challenge the prevailing belief that being multilingual in the United States leads to poor achievement.
Descriptors: Predictor Variables, Kindergarten, Young Children, Science Achievement, Multilingualism, Monolingualism, English, Language Proficiency, Executive Function, Mathematics Achievement, Reading Achievement, Elementary School Students, Grade 5, Children, Longitudinal Studies, Surveys
University of Chicago Press. Journals Division, P.O. Box 37005, Chicago, IL 60637. Tel: 877-705-1878; Tel: 773-753-3347; Fax: 877-705-1879; Fax: 773-753-0811; e-mail: subscriptions@press.uchicago.edu; Web site: http://www.press.uchicago.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Kindergarten; Primary Education; Grade 5; Intermediate Grades; Middle Schools
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Assessments and Surveys: Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A