Cause for Concern? The Relationship between Language Skills in Toddlers and Later Reading Skills in School
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| Title: | Cause for Concern? The Relationship between Language Skills in Toddlers and Later Reading Skills in School |
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| Language: | English |
| Authors: | Maya Dybvig Joner |
| Source: | Early Childhood Education Journal. 2025 53(3):679-688. |
| Availability: | Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/ |
| Peer Reviewed: | Y |
| Page Count: | 10 |
| Publication Date: | 2025 |
| Document Type: | Journal Articles Reports - Research |
| Education Level: | Early Childhood Education Elementary Education Grade 5 Intermediate Grades Middle Schools Grade 3 Primary Education Grade 2 |
| Descriptors: | Foreign Countries, Toddlers, Children, Language Skills, Reading Skills, Longitudinal Studies, Early Childhood Education, Correlation, Grade 5, Ability Identification, Decoding (Reading), Grade 2 |
| Geographic Terms: | Norway |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10643-023-01626-0 |
| ISSN: | 1082-3301 1573-1707 |
| Abstract: | The purpose of this longitudinal study is to investigate the association between poor language skills in toddlers and later reading skills. In contrast to earlier research, the present study used an authentic assessment of language skills conducted by staff in early childhood education and care as a tool for early identification. The participants were 515 Norwegian monolingual toddlers who were assessed when they were 33 months, 7 years, and 10 years. The results showed a small correlation between language skills identified at 33 months and later reading skills. The toddlers with the 10% poorest language skills were overrepresented in the 10% with the poorest decoding skills in 2nd grade and reading comprehension in 5th grade. Furthermore, 67.3% of toddlers with poor language skills attained below-average reading scores in 5th grade. These findings support the importance of paying attention to children in the lowest 10%, even at the age of 33 months. Furthermore, the results show that authentic assessments in the early years conducted by staff in early childhood education and care can make an important contribution to identifying toddlers in need of extra language stimulation in early childhood education. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2025 |
| Accession Number: | EJ1460568 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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| Abstract: | The purpose of this longitudinal study is to investigate the association between poor language skills in toddlers and later reading skills. In contrast to earlier research, the present study used an authentic assessment of language skills conducted by staff in early childhood education and care as a tool for early identification. The participants were 515 Norwegian monolingual toddlers who were assessed when they were 33 months, 7 years, and 10 years. The results showed a small correlation between language skills identified at 33 months and later reading skills. The toddlers with the 10% poorest language skills were overrepresented in the 10% with the poorest decoding skills in 2nd grade and reading comprehension in 5th grade. Furthermore, 67.3% of toddlers with poor language skills attained below-average reading scores in 5th grade. These findings support the importance of paying attention to children in the lowest 10%, even at the age of 33 months. Furthermore, the results show that authentic assessments in the early years conducted by staff in early childhood education and care can make an important contribution to identifying toddlers in need of extra language stimulation in early childhood education. |
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| ISSN: | 1082-3301 1573-1707 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10643-023-01626-0 |
