Group performance differences in reading, math, and science by fourth graders with and without communication...

Area of Science:

• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology
• Linguistics

Background:

• Language ability is crucial for academic success.
• Assessing children with language deficits is vital for intervention.
• This study examines academic achievement in fourth graders with and without communication disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• Compare academic performance in reading, math, and science between fourth graders with communication disorders (ComDis) and typically developing peers (GenEd).
• Investigate the interaction effects of gender and socioeconomic status (income) on academic achievement in relation to language status.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study Kindergarten Class of 2010-11.
• Employed ANOVA to compare academic performance across groups (ComDis vs. GenEd) and analyze the influence of gender and income.

Main Results:

• General Education (GenEd) students outperformed Communication Disorder (ComDis) students in all subjects.
• Higher income levels correlated with significantly higher academic scores.
• Mathematics was a relative strength for all students, regardless of communication status, income, or gender.
• Females demonstrated an advantage in reading, but not in mathematics or science.

Conclusions:

• Communication deficits and lower socioeconomic status negatively impact academic content mastery.
• Collaboration between speech-language pathologists and content-area teachers is essential for supporting these students' academic success.