ABSTRACT

The quality of a child’s early language and communication environment (ELCE) is an important predictor of later educational outcomes. However, less is known about the routes via which these early experiences influence the skills that support academic achievement. Using data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (n = 7,120) we investigated relations between ELCE (<2 years), literacy and social adjustment at school entry (5 years), structural language development and social development in mid-primary school (7–9 years), and literacy outcomes (reading and writing) at the end of primary school (11 years) using structural equation modelling. ELCE was a significant, direct predictor of social adjustment and literacy skills at school entry and of linguistic and social competence at 7–9 years. ELCE did not directly explain variance in literacy outcomes at the end of primary school, instead the influence was exerted via indirect paths through literacy and social adjustment aged 5, and, language development and social development at 7–9 years. Linguistic and social skills were both predictors of literacy skills at the end of primary school. Findings are discussed with reference to their potential implications for the timing and targets of interventions designed to improve literacy outcomes.

摘要

儿童早期语言和交流环境（ELCE）的质量是以后教育成果的重要预测指标。但是，对于这些早期经验影响支持学业成就的技能的途径知之甚少。使用来自雅芳父母和儿童纵向研究（n = 7,120）的数据，我们研究了ELCE（<2岁），入学时的识字率和社会适应（5年），中小学结构语言发展和社会发展之间的关系。 （7-9岁），以及使用结构方程模型在小学（11岁）结束时的读写能力（阅读和写作）。ELCE是入学时的社会适应能力和读写能力以及7-9岁时的语言和社会能力的重要直接指标。ELCE并没有直接解释小学毕业时识字结果的差异，而是通过间接途径，通过5岁时的识字和社会适应以及7-9岁时的语言发展和社会发展施加了影响。语言和社交技能都是小学毕业时读写能力的预测指标。讨论结果时将参考其对旨在改善识字结果的干预措施的时机和目标的潜在影响。