title: Socio-emotional skills, behavior problems, and Spanish competence predict the acquisition of English among English language learners in poverty.
abstract: This article analyzes the role that individual differences in children's cognitive, Spanish competence, and socio-emotional and behavioral skills play in predicting the concurrent and longitudinal acquisition of English among a large sample of ethnically diverse, low-income, Hispanic preschool children. Participants assessed at age 4 for language, cognitive, socio-emotional, and behavioral skills were followed through kindergarten. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that Spanish-speaking preschoolers with greater initiative, self-control, and attachment and fewer behavior problems at age 4 were more successful in obtaining English proficiency by the end of kindergarten compared to those initially weaker in these skills, even after controlling for cognitive/language skills and demographic variables. Also, greater facility in Spanish at age 4 predicted the attainment of English proficiency. Social and behavioral skills and proficiency in Spanish are valuable resources for low-income English language learners during their transition to school.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Adam
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Winsler
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Yoon Kyong
authors.initials: YK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology.
authors.forename: Erin R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Richard
mesh_terms: D002653:Child Behavior Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003071:Cognition; D056348:Emotional Intelligence; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D007804:Language Development; D007807:Language Tests; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D019303:Multilingualism; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011203:Poverty / Q000523:psychology*; D012574:Schools; D066107:Social Skills