This study investigated the prevalence of latent classes at risk for reading or math disabilities in elementary-age children whose first language is Spanish. To this end, children (N = 394) in Grades 1, 2, and 3 were administered a battery of vocabulary, reading, math, and cognitive measures in both Spanish and English. Three important findings occurred. First, five latent classes emerged (average achievers, poor achievers, reading disabled, English language learners, Spanish-dominant achievers) that varied in language and achievement scores. Second, probability estimates indicated that 10% of the total sample was at risk for learning disabilities (below cutoff score), and approximately 40% of the sample reflected a language acquisition group not at risk for academic difficulties. Finally, the best model for correctly predicting the odds of latent classes differing from average achievers included English measures of short-term memory, naming speed, and the executive component of working memory. The results support the notion that statistically distinct latent classes emerge under the umbrella of children identified as English learners and that children at risk for specific learning disabilities can be separated among a heterogeneous sample of children who are acquiring English as a second language.

中文翻译：

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英语学习者的语言习得困难和特定学习障碍能否分开？

本研究调查了母语为西班牙语的小学年龄儿童中存在阅读或数学障碍风险的潜在班级的流行情况。为此，对 1、2 和 3 年级的儿童（N = 394）进行了一系列西班牙语和英语词汇、阅读、数学和认知测量。出现了三个重要的发现。首先，出现了五个潜在类别（平均成绩、成绩差、阅读障碍、英语语言学习者、西班牙语占主导地位的成绩），它们的语言和成绩分数各不相同。其次，概率估计表明，总样本的 10% 有学习障碍的风险（低于截止分数），大约 40% 的样本反映了一个语言习得群体没有学业困难的风险。最后，正确预测潜在类别与平均成就者不同的几率的最佳模型包括短期记忆、命名速度和工作记忆的执行成分的英语测量。结果支持这样一种观点，即在被确定为英语学习者的儿童的保护伞下出现了统计上不同的潜在类别，并且可以将有特定学习障碍风险的儿童从将英语作为第二语言习得的儿童的异质样本中分离出来。