The moderating role of two learning related behaviours in preschool children's academic outcomes: learning behaviour and executive function

ABSTRACT

Executive function and learning behaviour play an important role in children's academic outcomes by helping them maintain attention, work cooperatively, and stay focused, especially for those from lower family socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds. This study explored whether these learning-related skills were associated with children's concurrent math and literacy skills and whether they moderated the associations of family SES with math and literacy skills. Preschool children (n = 179) from early childhood education settings were directly assessed on executive function, math, and literacy skills. Executive function and learning behaviour were significantly correlated with children's math and literacy outcomes. Learning behavior moderated the association between family SES and child math outcomes. Teachers may support learning behaviour by teaching active listening and frustration management techniques, thus motivating children to actively participate in learning. This serves to buffer the negative impacts of family SES on children's academic outcomes, specifically math skills.

KEYWORDS:

• Learning behaviour
• executive function
• protective factor
• socio-economic status
• math
• literacy skills
• academic gaps
• family SES

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Amber Beisly

Amber Beisly is a graduate student at the University of Oklahoma.

Kyong-Ah Kwon

Dr. Kyong-Ah Kwon works as an Associate Professor of Early Childhood at the University of Oklahoma.

Shinyoung Jeon

Dr. Shinyoung Jeon works as a senior research and policy fellow at the Early Childhood Education Institute in Tulsa.

Chaehyun Lim

Dr. Chaehyun Lim works at the Georgia State University.