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Time to Proficiency in Young English Learners and Factors That Affect Progress

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Title: Time to Proficiency in Young English Learners and Factors That Affect Progress
Language: English
Authors: Xiaowan Zhang (ORCID 0000-0002-2570-9038), Paula Winke (ORCID 0000-0002-8169-650X)
Source: TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and of Standard English as a Second Dialect. 2025 59(2):695-729.
Availability: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 35
Publication Date: 2025
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Elementary Education
Descriptors: English Learners, English (Second Language), Language Proficiency, Elementary School Students, Individual Characteristics, Language Usage, Family Environment, Reading Skills, Writing Skills, Speech Skills, Listening Skills, Barriers, Students with Disabilities
Geographic Terms: Michigan
DOI: 10.1002/tesq.3340
ISSN: 0039-8322
1545-7249
Abstract: We investigated the time it takes 54,146 English learners (ELs) to attain English proficiency as they progressed from age 5 to 11 on average (Kindergarten through fifth grade in the United States). We also examine to what extent the time-to-proficiency estimate is affected by child-internal and child-external factors, including primary disability status, primary home language, home English use, instructional programming, and retention status. We used discrete-time survival analysis to analyze the children's English growth. Survival analysis often concerns time from treatment until death: Here, "survival" is the time from EL-program entry until "proficiency," indicated via standardized testing. Half of the students attained proficiency in 5 years. Literacy skills (reading and writing) in general developed at slower rates than oral language skills (speaking and listening), with writing being ELs' biggest barrier to proficiency. While time to proficiency was significantly related to primary disability status, primary home language, and retention status, exposing ELs to their home language at home or at school does not have a substantial effect on their rates of English acquisition. The results are discussed for their research and practical implications.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2025
Accession Number: EJ1471573
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
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  Data: Time to Proficiency in Young English Learners and Factors That Affect Progress
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Xiaowan+Zhang%22">Xiaowan Zhang</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2570-9038">0000-0002-2570-9038</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Paula+Winke%22">Paula Winke</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8169-650X">0000-0002-8169-650X</externalLink>)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22TESOL+Quarterly%3A+A+Journal+for+Teachers+of+English+to+Speakers+of+Other+Languages+and+of+Standard+English+as+a+Second+Dialect%22"><i>TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and of Standard English as a Second Dialect</i></searchLink>. 2025 59(2):695-729.
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  Data: Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
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  Data: Y
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  Data: 35
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  Data: 2025
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+Learners%22">English Learners</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22English+%28Second+Language%29%22">English (Second Language)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Proficiency%22">Language Proficiency</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Individual+Characteristics%22">Individual Characteristics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Language+Usage%22">Language Usage</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Family+Environment%22">Family Environment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Skills%22">Reading Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Writing+Skills%22">Writing Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Speech+Skills%22">Speech Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Listening+Skills%22">Listening Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Barriers%22">Barriers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Students+with+Disabilities%22">Students with Disabilities</searchLink>
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  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Michigan%22">Michigan</searchLink>
– Name: DOI
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  Data: 10.1002/tesq.3340
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  Data: 0039-8322<br />1545-7249
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  Data: We investigated the time it takes 54,146 English learners (ELs) to attain English proficiency as they progressed from age 5 to 11 on average (Kindergarten through fifth grade in the United States). We also examine to what extent the time-to-proficiency estimate is affected by child-internal and child-external factors, including primary disability status, primary home language, home English use, instructional programming, and retention status. We used discrete-time survival analysis to analyze the children's English growth. Survival analysis often concerns time from treatment until death: Here, "survival" is the time from EL-program entry until "proficiency," indicated via standardized testing. Half of the students attained proficiency in 5 years. Literacy skills (reading and writing) in general developed at slower rates than oral language skills (speaking and listening), with writing being ELs' biggest barrier to proficiency. While time to proficiency was significantly related to primary disability status, primary home language, and retention status, exposing ELs to their home language at home or at school does not have a substantial effect on their rates of English acquisition. The results are discussed for their research and practical implications.
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        Value: 10.1002/tesq.3340
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      – SubjectFull: English Learners
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      – SubjectFull: Language Proficiency
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      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
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      – SubjectFull: Individual Characteristics
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      – SubjectFull: Language Usage
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      – SubjectFull: Family Environment
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      – SubjectFull: Reading Skills
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      – SubjectFull: Speech Skills
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      – SubjectFull: Listening Skills
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      – SubjectFull: Barriers
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      – SubjectFull: Students with Disabilities
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      – SubjectFull: Michigan
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      – TitleFull: Time to Proficiency in Young English Learners and Factors That Affect Progress
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            – TitleFull: TESOL Quarterly: A Journal for Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages and of Standard English as a Second Dialect
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