Language Dominance and the School Readiness of Preschool-Age Spanish-English Dual Language Learners

Research Findings: This study examined the early literacy, narrative production, and early math skills of preschool-age Spanish-English dual language learners (DLLs) classified into three groups based on their language dominance at preschool entry (i.e. Spanish-dominant, balanced, and English-dominant) to identify school readiness strengths and areas in need of support when attending preschools where English was the language of instruction. DLLs' (n = 315) early literacy, measured by phonological awareness and letter-word identification, narrative production, and early math skills were assessed in English and Spanish in the fall and spring of preschool. Within-group comparisons by language dominance were made between DLLs' school readiness in English and Spanish. Between-group comparisons were also made among the three dominance groups at both time points. Practice or Policy: Results showed that children's balance between English and Spanish school readiness varied based on their language dominance in the fall. Significant group differences were found at the beginning and end of preschool for all measures except Spanish phonological awareness and letter-word identification. All groups made gains in a majority of measures in both languages. These results underscore the heterogeneity of this population and have implications for assessment and instruction.