Bidirectionality in Self‐Regulation and Expressive Vocabulary: Comparisons Between Monolingual and Dual Language Learners in Preschool

Abstract

Significant differences in language and self-regulation skills exist among children when they enter formal schooling. Contributing to these language differences is a growing population of dual language learners (DLLs) in the United States. Given evidence linking self-regulatory processes and language development, this study explored bidirectional associations between English expressive vocabulary and self-regulation skills for monolingual English and DLL preschool children (N = 250) from mixed-income families in Los Angeles. Across three time points, findings provide initial support for bidirectionality between these developing skills for both monolinguals and DLLs. Results provide strong empirical support for vocabulary serving as a leading indicator of self-regulation skills in preschool. Findings also suggest that early self-regulation skills play a particularly important role for vocabulary development.

Elementary students’ effortful control and academic achievement: The mediating role of teacher–student relationship quality

“…For example, Bohlmann, Maier, and Palacios (2015) found a bidirectional association between effortful control and expressive language in the transition from preschool to kindergarten (but not across preschool), which has implications for later academic achievement. Similarly, Swanson, Valiente, Lemery-Chalfant, Bradley, and Eggum-Wilkens (2014) reported that math achievement (assessed in the spring term of kindergarten) predicted parent-reported effortful control (assessed in the fall term of first grade) in the transition from kindergarten to first grade, and vice versa from first to second grade.…”

The development of self-regulation across early childhood.

“…The current study focuses on children’s gender and language skills as these attributes are fairly consistently linked to individual differences in self-regulation (Bohlmann et al, 2015; Matthews et al, 2009; Ready et al, 2005), and potentially trajectory differences (Vallotton & Ayoub, 2011). …”

“…Research evaluating how expressive language helps toddlers to self-regulate suggests that trajectories of self-regulation vary between children based on the child’s observed expressive vocabulary skills (Vallotton & Ayoub, 2011). Likewise, early expressive language skills are also associated with higher levels of early self-regulation, with greater language gains across preschool and the transition to kindergarten associated with greater self-regulation gains (Bohlmann, Maier, & Palacios, 2015). This suggests that children with higher levels of expressive language develop self-regulation faster compared to children with lower levels of language.…”

Domain‐General Cognitive Ability Predicts Bilingual Children's Receptive Vocabulary in the Majority Language

“…Bidirectional relationships also emerged in a study by Bohlman et al. (), who examined sequential relationships between self‐regulation and English vocabulary in monolingual and bilingual Spanish–English children. Self‐regulation overlaps with executive function, requiring inhibition and working memory (Hofmann, Schmeichel, & Baddeley, ).…”

“…Previous longitudinal research focusing on children has shown that cognitive ability predicts language (Ekerim & Selçuk, ; Weiland, Barata, & Yoshikawa, ; White, Alexander, & Greenfield, ) and that language predicts cognitive ability (Fuhs & Day, ; Kuhn, Willoughby, Vernon‐Feagans, Blair, & The Family Life Project Key Investigators, ). Other studies have also observed a bidirectional relationship between language and cognitive ability (Bohlmann, Maier, & Palacios, ; Slot & Suchodoletz, ) or found no relationship between the two (Gooch, Thompson, Nash, Snowling, & Hulme, ; Lonigan, Allan, Goodrich, Farrington, & Phillips, ). Not only have the findings been inconsistent but conclusions regarding the impact of cognitive ability on one language have not necessarily generalized to the other language of the tested participants (Lonigan, Lerner, Goodrich, Farrington, & Allan, ; Tse & Altarriba, ).…”