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Dual language profiles of Latino children of immigrants: Stability and change over the early school years

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 December 2012

BRIAN A. COLLINS ,
ERIN E. O'CONNOR ,
CAROLA SUÁREZ-OROZCO ,
ALFONSO NIETO-CASTAÑON  and
CLAUDIO O. TOPPELBERG
BRIAN A. COLLINS*
Affiliation:
Hunter College
ERIN E. O'CONNOR
Affiliation:
New York University
CAROLA SUÁREZ-OROZCO
Affiliation:
University of California, Los Angeles
ALFONSO NIETO-CASTAÑON
Affiliation:
Boston University and Judge Baker Children's Center
CLAUDIO O. TOPPELBERG
Affiliation:
Harvard Medical School and Judge Baker Children's Center
*
ADDRESS FOR CORRESPONDENCE Brian A. Collins, Hunter College, 695 Park Avenue, W949, New York, NY 10065. E-Mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Dual language children enter school with varying levels of proficiencies in their first and second language. This study of Latino children of immigrants (N = 163) analyzes their dual language profiles at kindergarten and second grade, derived from the direct assessment of Spanish and English proficiencies (Woodcock Language Proficiency Batteries—Revised). Children were grouped based on the similarity of language profiles (competent profiles, such as dual proficient, Spanish proficient, and English proficient; and low-performing profiles, including borderline proficient and limited proficient). At kindergarten, the majority of children (63%) demonstrated a low-performing profile; by second grade, however, the majority of children (64%) had competent profiles. Change and stability of language profiles over time of individual children were then analyzed. Of concern, are children who continued to demonstrate a low-performing, high-risk profile. Factors in the linguistic environments at school and home, as well as other family and child factors associated with dual language profiles and change/stability over time were examined, with a particular focus on the persistently low-performing profile groups.

Type
Articles
Information
Applied Psycholinguistics , Volume 35 , Issue 3 , May 2014 , pp. 581 - 620
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012 

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