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Peer effects on children's language achievement during pre-kindergarten
Andrew J Mashburn1, Laura M Justice, Jason T Downer
1University of Virginia, Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, 350 Old Ivy Way Suite 100, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA. amashburn@virginia.edu
Child Development
|June 4, 2009
Summary
Children’s language development in pre-kindergarten (pre-k) is boosted by peers with strong expressive language skills. This positive effect on receptive and expressive language was more pronounced for children with existing language skills and in well-managed classrooms.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Early Childhood Education
- Linguistics
Background:
- Peer interactions are crucial for early childhood development.
- Language skills acquired in pre-kindergarten significantly impact later academic success.
- The influence of peer language abilities on individual child language development requires further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between peers' expressive language abilities and children's language development in pre-kindergarten.
- To examine how initial language skills and classroom management moderate this association.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study involving 1,812 four-year-olds across 453 classrooms in 11 states.
- Assessment of children's receptive and expressive language skills.
- Measurement of peer expressive language abilities and classroom management quality.
Main Results:
- Higher peer expressive language abilities positively correlated with children's receptive and expressive language development.
- This association was stronger for children with higher initial receptive language skills.
- Effective classroom management further amplified the positive impact of peer language abilities.
Conclusions:
- Peer language environment is a significant ecological factor in early language acquisition.
- Pre-kindergarten programs can leverage peer interactions to enhance language development.
- Targeted support for children with lower initial language skills and effective classroom strategies are recommended.
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