Developmental Assets at Preschool Entry That Support Dual Language Learners' Academic Development Through the First Grade

Dual language learner children (DLLs) benefit from early childhood education (ECE) and learning multiple languages, but research has predominantly focused on English monolingual children, with limited insight on the ECE and early development of DLLs. This study investigated whether DLLs' developmental assets assessed at pre-k entry (i.e. English proficiency, social skills, executive function, early child care participation prior to pre-k) supported initial academic outcomes and growth from pre-k through first grade. The sample consisted of 1,175 DLLs who were part of a large longitudinal study and income-eligible for publicly funded pre-k. Research Findings: DLL children benefited from the developmental assets they possessed at pre-k entry in terms of initial skills and growth on several measures of literacy and math between pre-k and first grade. Specifically, DLLs with higher levels of developmental assets demonstrated high initial academic skills; and English proficiency and early child care participation at age 3 was linked to academic growth. Additionally, children's early child care participation moderated associations between other developmental assets and initial picture vocabulary skills and growth. Practice or Policy: Findings of this study underscore the importance of identifying the developmental assets DLL children possess that may promote academic school readiness.