Confirmatory factor analysis of the Early Arithmetic, Reading, and Learning Indicators (EARLI).
Despite growing interest in early intervention, there are few measures available to monitor the progress of early academic skills in preschoolers. The Early Arithmetic, Reading, and Learning Indicators (EARLI; DiPerna, Morgan, & Lei, 2007) were developed as brief assessments of critical early literacy and numeracy skills. The purpose of the current study was to examine the factor structure of the EARLI probes via confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) in a sample of Head Start preschoolers (N=289). A two-factor model with correlated error terms and a bifactor model provided comparable fit to the data, although there were some structural problems with the latter model. The utility of the bifactor model for explaining the structure of early academic skills as well as the utility of the EARLI probes as measures of literacy and numeracy skills in preschool are discussed.
Department of Educational and School Psychology, The Pennsylvania State University, USA. Electronic address: norwke43@gmail.com.
Kate E
KE
Norwalk
Department of Educational Psychology, School Psychology, and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University, USA. Electronic address: jcd12@psu.edu.
James Clyde
JC
DiPerna
Department of Educational Psychology, School Psychology, and Special Education, The Pennsylvania State University, USA. Electronic address: puiwa@psu.edu.
Pui-Wa
PW
Lei
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008433:Mathematics; D011932:Reading
EARLI; Early literacy; Early numeracy; Preschool