Oral English language proficiency and reading mastery: The role of home language and school supports

ABSTRACT

The analysis of 21,409 participants of the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Kindergarten cohort focused on home and school factors sought to understand the level of reading mastery that children experienced throughout elementary school and Grade 8 by relating home language use, timing of oral English language proficiency, and the provision of school-based English language learner services to reading mastery. Results confirm that non-English language use at home is associated with a decreased reading mastery at higher levels of proficiency in Grades 1 and 3, and is reduced to nonsignificance in Grades 5 and 8 with the inclusion of teacher and school factors. Also, the negative association between timing of oral English language proficiency and reading mastery is partially explained by teacher and school factors, particularly children's receipt of English language learner services. The findings provide support for policies that provide language services for language minority children and families during the transition to school and through the elementary school years.

KEYWORDS:

• ECLS-K
• ELL
• English language learners
• home language
• oral English proficiency
• reading proficiency
• school services

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of Lindsay Chase-Lansdale, Greg Duncan, and James Spillane, who provided thoughtful comments on drafts of this article. We would also like to thank the children and families who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Survey–Kindergarten cohort.

Notes

¹ While a relatively small proportion of the entire data set overall, fourteen percent of the total sample still amounts to approximately 3000 children, which is a substantial enough number to detect differences across groups. The small sample size for this subgroup would predispose toward null findings. However, that we find substantial differences (see below) buttresses the argument that the study includes a sufficiently large number of non-English speakers to assess their reading mastery across the elementary school years.