TY - JOUR
T1 - The Effects of Kindergarten and First Grade Schooling on Executive Function and Academic Skill Development
T2 - Evidence From a School Cutoff Design
AU - Kim, Matthew H.
AU - Ahmed, Sammy F.
AU - Morrison, Frederick J.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2021 Kim, Ahmed and Morrison.
PY - 2021/1/15
Y1 - 2021/1/15
N2 - Early executive function (EF) skills reliably predict school readiness and future academic success. While children’s skills undergo rapid development during the transition to formal schooling, it remains unclear the extent to which schooling exerts a unique influence on the accelerated development of EF and academic skills during the early years of schooling. In the present study, a quasi-experimental technique known as the school cutoff design was used to examine whether same-aged children who made vs. missed the age cutoff for school entry significantly differed on EF, reading, and math outcomes. Data from 166 pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade children (Range = 3.75–7.58 years, 92 girls) from a longitudinal study of literacy development were analyzed. Children were assessed on EF, reading, and math skills in fall and spring. Results revealed unique effects of kindergarten, but not first grade, on growth in EF and reading over and above the effect of age. Schooling was unrelated to growth in math. Because kindergarten represents the first year of elementary school and children’s first exposure to a formal schooling environment, kindergarten schooling may be uniquely positioned to produce greater gains in academic and behavioral outcomes compared to other grades.
AB - Early executive function (EF) skills reliably predict school readiness and future academic success. While children’s skills undergo rapid development during the transition to formal schooling, it remains unclear the extent to which schooling exerts a unique influence on the accelerated development of EF and academic skills during the early years of schooling. In the present study, a quasi-experimental technique known as the school cutoff design was used to examine whether same-aged children who made vs. missed the age cutoff for school entry significantly differed on EF, reading, and math outcomes. Data from 166 pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade children (Range = 3.75–7.58 years, 92 girls) from a longitudinal study of literacy development were analyzed. Children were assessed on EF, reading, and math skills in fall and spring. Results revealed unique effects of kindergarten, but not first grade, on growth in EF and reading over and above the effect of age. Schooling was unrelated to growth in math. Because kindergarten represents the first year of elementary school and children’s first exposure to a formal schooling environment, kindergarten schooling may be uniquely positioned to produce greater gains in academic and behavioral outcomes compared to other grades.
KW - executive function
KW - math
KW - quasi-experimental design
KW - reading
KW - school cutoff
KW - schooling
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85100171911&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85100171911&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.607973
DO - 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.607973
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85100171911
SN - 1664-1078
VL - 11
JO - Frontiers in Psychology
JF - Frontiers in Psychology
M1 - 607973
ER -