A 5-year longitudinal study of bilinguals’ vocabulary growth and the role of the prekindergarten home language and literacy environments

This study examined the development of English vocabulary among Spanish-speaking dual-language learners (DLLs) from prekindergarten (pre-K) to third grade and the influence of the pre-K home language and literacy environments. Participants were 285 DLLs—96% Hispanic and 46% male—living in Arizona (United States), a setting with a restrictive language policy. The major gains and individual differences in English vocabulary occurred from pre-K to kindergarten. Caregivers’ English proficiency and DLLs’ amount of language use at pre-K were significant predictors, and the link between the latter and DLLs’ English vocabulary was in general not linear. In a language-use continuum from only Spanish to mostly English, the major change occurred between mostly Spanish and Spanish and English equal amounts. Home literacy variables were not significant predictors, yet the Spanish and English equal amounts group tended to live in households with relatively more literacy practices and resources and caregivers with more English proficiency. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)