[Indicators for Speech Comprehension in Migrant Children. A comparison of Extreme Groups]

Objective Children with migrant background learning German as second language are frequently considered having problems in speech comprehension and speaking; nevertheless, it is very difficult to objectify that for young children. For this purpose risk-factors should be determined empirically. Material and Methods The study comprised 126 children from a developmental longitudinal study in 7 day-care centers in Frankfurt/M and Darmstadt. The sample was sorted into two extreme groups by their achievement in oral German language comprehension: criterion T-score ≥46=age appropriate (N=61) vs. T-score ≤32=poor (N=65). The study used an assumed best-subtests variable-selection (intelligence; grammatical based comprehension; verbal conceptualization; recognition of semantic and grammatical inconsistencies) to examine risk-factors for the quality of development in German as second language. Results Intelligence was average in both groups, however, significantly different (T-score=54.1; SD 6.7 vs. T-score=42.2; SD 8.8; p<0,001). Risk-factors for a separation between rather convenient and less convenient conditions for the development of German as second language could be identified by applying discriminant analyses (in order of descending magnitude): intelligence; recognition of verbal inconsistencies; mother's level of education; grammatical based comprehension. Regarding the group affiliation, 88% of the children with poor and 84% of those with age appropriate oral comprehension could be correctly classified within the selected samples. Conclusions The results provide an acceptable standard to distinguish migrant children with an age appropriate oral comprehension in German as the second language from such with a poorer one.