title: Peer effects on children's language achievement during pre-kindergarten.
abstract: This study examined associations between peers' expressive language abilities and children's development of receptive and expressive language among 1,812 four-year olds enrolled in 453 classrooms in 11 states that provide large-scale public pre-kindergarten (pre-k) programs. Higher peer expressive language abilities were positively associated with children's development of receptive and expressive language during pre-k. The positive association between peers' expressive language abilities and children's receptive language development was stronger for children who began pre-k with higher receptive language skills and within classrooms characterized by better classroom management. Implications of these findings for understanding ecological inputs to children's language development and for designing effective pre-k programs are discussed.
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia, Center for Advanced Study of Teaching and Learning, 350 Old Ivy Way Suite 100, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA. amashburn@virginia.edu
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Mashburn
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Justice
authors.forename: Jason T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Downer
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Pianta
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002663:Child Language; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D010379:Peer Group; D012931:Social Environment; D014706:Verbal Learning