A longitudinal study on the relationship between language assessments at 5–6 years of age and various social and psychological aspects later in life

Abstract

The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate whether language assessment at five years of age can predict various social and psychological aspects later in life. In 1997 and 1998, the language abilities of 267 preschool children in Iceland were examined with the HLJÓM2. The HLJÓM2 is a test evaluating the phonological awareness of preschool children and is administered in the majority of preschools in Iceland. It is a screening tool designed specifically for preschool teachers to identify children at risk of developing reading difficulties. Preschool teachers can administer this test only after receiving special training. Previous studies (Amalía Björnsdóttir, Ingibjörg Símonardóttir og Jóhanna T. Einarsdóttir, 2003; Jóhanna T. Einarsdóttir, Ingibjörg Símonardóttir og Amalía Björnsdóttir, 2011) have shown that the test results can predict later reading and academic achievement. The children in the original study are young adults (ages 18 and 19) and have completed compulsory school. They were contacted in 2011 and invited to take part in this longitudinal study on language assessment and academic achievement and to complete an online questionnaire on various social and psychological aspects of their life. Of the original 267 participants, 266 were alive, and 221 (83%) completed the online questionnaire and gave permission to have their answers linked to the results of the language assessment they had taken as preschoolers. The online questionnaire included questions on various aspects of the participants’ lives, including experiences in compulsory school, whether they had have been diagnosed with conditions that interfere with learning and whether they were attending or had attended secondary school. The average performance of the participants who completed the questionnaire was higher on the HLJÓM2 (M = 43.8, sd = 13.57) than the performance of those who did not want to participate or whom researchers were not able to locate (M=35.5 points, sd=13.27) (t (47.5)=3.48, p=0.001). This indicates that students who scored low on the HLJÓM2 in preschool were less likely to participate in the second phase of the study compared with those who scored higher, which could influence the results. The results showed a relationship (chisquare test p<.05) between HLJÓM2 scores and many of the factors asked about in the questionnaire. Those who exhibited poor performance (at least one standard deviation below the mean) on the HLJÓM2 found compulsory school more difficult (p<.001) and found it less enjoyable (p=.002), were more likely to be teased and bullied (p=.036), and were also more likely to be placed in special education classes (p=.001) when compared with those who scored higher (at least one standard deviation above the mean) on the HLJÓM2. For example, 78% of the participants who scored high on HLJÓM2 found compulsory school to be enjoyable, but only 37% of those with low scores found it enjoyable. Of those who had scored low on the HLJÓM2, 37% later received special education services compared to 4% of those who scored high. Nearly onethird of participants with low scores found the studies in compulsory school difficult, as opposed to only 4% of those with high scores. The majority of the respondents, or 57%, said they had learned to read in first grade or before they started compulsory school. Of those with high scores on the HLJÓM2, 87% said they learned to read in first grade or prior, but only 38% of those with low scores reported having learned to read at that age. There was no difference in participants on their own assessments of their reading or spelling abilities based on scores on the HLJÓM2. This came as a surprise because previous research with the same participants had shown a strong correlation between the scores on HLJÓM2 and scores on national tests in grades 4, 7, and 10. The lower scoring group was also more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD and learning disabilities (around a quarter of the participants) when compared to 12% being diagnosed with ADHD and 2% with learning disabilities in the group that scored higher on the HLJÓM2. Clearly, weak performance on the HLJÓM2 predicts not only poor academic achievement but is also related to negative experiences of compulsory school and an increased likelihood of conditions that interfere with learning. The results should encourage better cooperation and communication between preschool and compulsory school to improve services and provide effective support to children at risk.