The Home Numeracy Environment and Measurement of Numeracy Performance in English and Spanish in Dual Language Learners. (February 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kung, Melody; Stolz, Kelsey; Lin, Joyce; Foster, Matthew E.; Schmitt, Sara A.; Purpura, David J.
• Is Part Of: Topics in early childhood special education. Volume 40:Number 4(2021:Feb.)
• Page Start: 241
• Page End: 252
• Publication Date: 2021-02
• Subjects: home environment -- cultural issues -- assessment -- academic achievement; Children with disabilities -- Education (Preschool) -- Periodicals; Child Development -- Periodicals; Education, Special -- Periodicals; Enfants handicapés -- Enseignement préscolaire -- Périodiques; Éducation précoce; Éducation préscolaire; Éducation spéciale; Enfant handicapé; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 371.905
• DOI: 10.1177/0271121420942588
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0271-1214

Abstract

Some evidence suggests that the home numeracy environment (HNE) is related to children's numeracy. Socioeconomic status (SES) and language minority status can also influence children's HNE and numeracy. Limited HNE research focuses on dual language learners (DLLs). Using a sample of preschool-aged children ( n = 98) from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds, we examined differences between Spanish-speaking DLLs' ( n = 37) and monolingual English speakers' ( n = 61) numeracy, differences in HNEs, and predictive role of HNE on numeracy. Using frequentist and Bayesian t tests, we found that numeracy was not significantly different between DLLs and monolingual English speakers when DLLs' numeracy was measured in English or in both English and Spanish. However, DLLs' Spanish numeracy was lower than monolingual English speakers' English numeracy, t (96) = 2.10, p = .038, Bayes factors (BF10 ) = 1.51. HNE did not significantly predict either group's numeracy regardless of assessment language. This study is an important step toward understanding DLLs' HNE and numeracy.