Approaches to Learning in Kindergarten: Associations with Child and Family Background Variables

Approaches to Learning in Kindergarten: Associations with Child and Family Background Variables Public Deposited

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Abstract

The study analyzed a nationally representative sample of first-time kindergarteners from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study - Kindergarten cohort of 1998-1999. Associations between sociodemographic risk factors, including race/ethnicity, poverty status, maternal education, child care participation, and residential location, and the dimension of approaches to learning for young children were analyzed at kindergarten entry. Race/ethnicity and maternal education predicted unique proportions of variance in children's approaches to learning (AL) at kindergarten entry. Race/ethnicity was associated with AL such that African American, Native American, and Hispanic children had the lowest scores on AL, while White and Asian children had the highest scores on AL. Maternal education was associated with AL such that children whose mothers had a four-year college degree or graduate/professional degree had higher AL scores than those whose mothers had any education less than a college degree. Implications of these findings for practice and policy are discussed.

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