Peer Effects on Children’s Expressive Vocabulary Development Using Conceptual Scoring in Linguistically Diverse Preschools

ABSTRACT

Research Findings: This study examined associations between the expressive vocabulary of classroom peers and children’s own vocabulary knowledge using conceptual scoring in a linguistically diverse sample of 4-year-olds who attended universal preschool programs in a metropolitan area. Higher peer conceptually scored expressive vocabulary was associated with higher conceptually scored expressive vocabulary for all children. The association was stronger for children who were dual language learners (DLLs), such that higher peer ability was associated with stronger growth in conceptually scored expressive vocabulary for DLLs across languages than for children fluent in English. Practice or Policy: This research suggests that policymakers may want to investigate the advantages of setting aside slots in targeted programs for children who have stronger conceptual vocabularies. Administrators should consider conceptual and verbal ability and classroom composition when assigning children to classes. This research also suggests that greater use of intentional pairs or small groups and strategies such as coaching peers in supporting one another’s conceptual vocabulary may be particularly important for DLLs.

Funding

This article was funded by Mathematica Policy Research and First 5 LA. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of their funders.

Notes

^1. The state both paid the tuition for the children from low-income households to attend the private preschools and funded the targeted programs. The children integrated into the private preschool classrooms represented less than 20% of the classes’ population.

^2. Among the children from low-income households who spoke English only, the difference in fall and spring mean scores on the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test–III was 12.4 standard score points in private preschools and 1.0 standard score points in the targeted programs. Among children who spoke a language other than English, the difference in the fall to spring mean scores was 5.2 in the private program and 2.3 in the targeted program.

^3. The literature has noted differences between first-generation parents and later generations in relation to children’s outcomes. We included this variable as an indicator of generational status.

^4. Household dependency was a continuous variable constructed from the number of children divided by the number of adults in the household.

^5. We constructed the household poverty ratio by dividing the reported total annual family income by the official poverty threshold for the respective household size at the time of data collection. We categorized the variable as follows: 1 = less than 50% of the poverty threshold, 2 = 50% to 99% of the poverty threshold, 3 = 100% to 129% of the poverty threshold, 4 = 130% to 184% of the poverty threshold, 5 = 185% to 239% of the poverty threshold, and 6 = at or above 240% of the poverty threshold.

^6. As a robustness check, we also conducted the analyses excluding outliers and Asian American DLL children; the findings were the same.

Additional information

Funding

This article was funded by Mathematica Policy Research and First 5 LA. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of their funders.