About this paper symposium

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Panel information
Panel 18. School Readiness/Childcare

Paper #1
The Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders Task as a Screening Tool for Kindergarten-level Achievement
Author information	Role
Irem Korucu, Florida Atlantic University, United States	Presenting author
Robert J. Duncan, Colorado State University, United States	Non-presenting author
Sabrina A. Kenny, Kean University, United States	Non-presenting author
Christopher R. Gonzales, Oregon State University, United States	Non-presenting author
Ahmad Ahmadi, Oregon State University, United States	Non-presenting author
Jasmine T. Karing, Oregon State University, United States	Non-presenting author
Megan M. McClelland, Oregon State University, United States	Non-presenting author
Abstract
Research has consistently found significant relations between measures of self-regulation and related constructs (i.e., executive function [EF]) and early achievement. However, the research to date has focused primarily on understanding the magnitude of associations for linear effects between self-regulation and achievement and has not explicitly explored the role of self-regulation measures for diagnostic information regarding dichotomous achievement indicators. In the present study, we examined the utility of a commonly used self-regulation task, the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders (HTKS) and its updated version the Head-Toes-Knees-Shoulders Revised (HTKS-R), as a screening tool for kindergarten-level achievement in mathematics and literacy. We aimed to understand how well a child’s HTKS and HTKS-R scores could predict the probability of performing at kindergarten-level in achievement at two time points concurrently during the fall of kindergarten and longitudinally during the spring of prekindergarten. Participants for this study included two samples of children who participated in studies evaluating the HTKS measure: the HTKS and its most current revised edition, HTKS-R. In Sample 1 (HTKS), 424 children (49% female; Mage=59.8 in months, SD=3.81) were included. 63% of children were White, 19% Latino/Hispanic, 13% multiracial, 3% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 2% other race/ethnicities. Sample 2 (HTKS-R) had 318 children (53% female; Mage=64.39 in months, SD=3.66) with similar racial/ethnic identities, 76% identified as White, 20% as Latino/Hispanic, and 4% as other race/ ethnicities. In addition to HTKS (McClelland et al., 2014) and HTKS-R (McClelland et al., 2021) tasks measured at two time points, the spring of prekindergarten and the fall of kindergarten, mathematics and literacy were assessed using the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement-IV, Applied Problems, and Letter-Word Identification subtests (Schrank et al., 2014) during the fall of kindergarten. The probability of scoring at kindergarten-level for different scores on the HTKS and the HTKS-R was examined using logistic regression models along with the sensitivity, specificity, precision, and negative predictive values. Our findings suggest that the HTKS and the HTKS-R have diagnostic utility, with closest associations to mathematics compared to literacy (b=.06, p<.001, Odds Ratio [OR]=1.07, b=.04 p<.001, OR=1.04, respectively) and when administered concurrently during the fall of kindergarten versus during the spring of prekindergarten. Furthermore, the ROC (receiver operating characteristics) curve analysis showed that the HTKS and the HTKS-R are best equipped to estimate who will be at/above kindergarten-level (precision), such that high performance on the HTKS is associated with a high likelihood of being at/above kindergarten-level in achievement (see Figure 1 and 2 for predicted probabilities and optimal cut-scores). As a brief and easy-to-administer assessment, the HTKS tasks can provide diagnostic information for determining aspects of school readiness, including providing valuable information about children’s ability to perform on a self-regulation measure and children’s probability of performing at kindergarten-level on achievement. By examining grade-level achievement scores and employing roc curve analysis, this work expands prior research that examined a linear effect between self-regulation and achievement and highlights that the HTKS measures can be used as a screening tool for kindergarten-level achievement.

Paper #2
Measuring Math Language: Relations Among Preschoolers’ Comprehension and Use of Math Language Terms
Author information	Role
Brianna Devlin, Ph.D., University At Buffalo, United States	Presenting author
Emily Wilke, University of Oregon, United States	Non-presenting author
Lindsey Bryant, Purdue University, United States	Non-presenting author
Alex White, Indiana University, United States	Non-presenting author
Samantha Didrichsen, University at Buffalo, United States	Non-presenting author
Tracy Zehner, University of Oregon, United States	Non-presenting author
Elyssa A. Geer, University of Florida, United States	Non-presenting author
Robert J. Duncan, Colorado State University, United States	Non-presenting author
David J. Purpura, Purdue University, United States	Non-presenting author
Sara A. Schmitt, University of Oregon, United States	Non-presenting author
Abstract
Math language refers to children’s comprehension and use of key terms in mathematics, including quantitative (e.g., “more”) and spatial terms (e.g., “tall”). Preschoolers’ comprehension of math language terms is often measured through primarily receptive vocabulary assessments that ask them to match pictures to a math language term (e.g., Preschool Assessment of the Language of Mathematics, PALM; Purpura & Logan, 2015). Children’s performance on such tasks is associated with math ability, covarying for general language ability (Toll & Van Luit, 2014a). Children’s use of these terms in more natural settings has received less research attention, particularly for quantitative terms (Bryant et al., 2024). Research on relations among comprehension and use of math language is needed to strengthen measurement of the math language construct. In the present study, we assessed whether children with higher levels of math language comprehension, as assessed by the PALM, use more math language terms during block play with peers, a ubiquitous preschool STEM activity. Preschoolers (N = 118; 56% male; Mage = 53.12 months) were involved in a larger study in which they engaged in 16 play sessions. Math language comprehension was assessed using the PALM. Math language use during play was coded from transcripts of sessions, using the Spatial and Quantitative Mathematical Language Coding System (Bryant et al., 2024). We created two math language use variables: 1) the number of PALM terms (out of 16) used by children at least once across sessions and 2) the number of all math language terms used by children at least once across sessions. Children’s general language ability was assessed using the NIH Toolbox Picture Vocabulary Test (Hodes et al., 2013). On average, children comprehended ~9 of the 16 terms on the PALM (M = 9.11; SD = 3.91). From the same list of terms, children used ~3 of the 16 at least once, on average (M = 3.37, SD = 1.82). Including all coded terms, children used approximately 45 terms across sessions (M = 44.66, SD =16.34). See Table 1 for a comparison of the terms assessed via the PALM and used during play. Notably, the five PALM items on which children scored the lowest (less, before, fewest, last, below) were also five of the least-used terms during play. We used regressed the number of PALM terms children used during play on PALM scores, covarying for general language ability and demographics; the association was statistically significant (p =.031). We re-ran the model predicting all coded math language; the association was also significant (p <.001). PALM scores predicted use of the same math language terms as well as broad math language use during block play with peers, above and beyond individual differences in general language ability. Results provide evidence of ecological validity of a commonly used measure of math language comprehension. Additionally, results open possibilities for future research linking comprehension and use of math language in preschoolers.

Paper #3
Relations Between the Dimensions of Preschoolers’ Science and Engineering Knowledge and Other School Readiness Domains
Author information	Role
Lauren Westerberg, University of Wisconsin-Madison, United States	Presenting author
Jennifer K. Finders, Colorado State University, United States	Non-presenting author
Sara A. Schmitt, University of Oregon, United States	Non-presenting author
David J. Purpura, Purdue University, United States	Non-presenting author
Abstract
There is mixed empirical evidence on cross-domain relations between early science and engineering knowledge and knowledge in other school readiness domains, which may in part be due to inconsistencies in how science and engineering knowledge is measured. Moreover, when studies have used assessments that measure science and engineering in multiple dimensions (i.e., disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts) pooled together, relations between science and engineering knowledge and other school readiness domains, including mathematics, executive functioning (EF), and vocabulary, have been found (Bauer & Booth, 2018; Nayfeld et al., 2013). However, when studies have used a measure that assesses learning in only the content knowledge dimension (i.e., disciplinary core ideas), science and engineering knowledge has been found to only relate to vocabulary performance (Westerberg et al., 2021). The goal of this study was to examine the relations between science and engineering knowledge and other school readiness domains (i.e., literacy, vocabulary, EF, mathematics, and mathematical language) using a newly developed assessment that allows for relations to be examined at the dimension-level. It was hypothesized that children’s performance on the whole science and engineering assessment would relate to performance on each of the other school readiness assessments. However, when relations between each of the dimensions of science and engineering knowledge and the other school readiness domains were examined, it was hypothesized that disciplinary core idea performance would relate to the language-focused domains, including literacy, vocabulary, and mathematical language. It was also hypothesized that science and engineering practice performance would relate to the language-focused domains, but also the domains that integrate higher order reasoning, including EF and mathematics. Finally, it was hypothesized that crosscutting concepts performance would relate to the language-focused domains and mathematics given that crosscutting concepts comprise domain general STEM ideas (e.g., patterns). Participants included 185 children (50.28% female) ages 3-to-5 years (M=4.62 years, SD=0.61 years). Children were assessed during the spring of the preschool year on a newly developed science and engineering assessment that measures knowledge in all three dimensions, as well as on measures of their literacy, vocabulary, EF, mathematics, and mathematical language knowledge. The science and engineering assessment as a whole was first regressed onto the other school readiness assessments. Then, each of the three individual dimensions of the science and engineering assessment were regressed onto the other school readiness assessments. Results are presented in Table 1. Performance on the whole science and engineering assessment was significantly predicted by vocabulary (β=.26, p<.001), EF (β=.14, p=.043), mathematics (β=.23, p=.002), and mathematical language (β=.27, p<.001). When relations with the individual dimensions were examined, disciplinary core ideas performance was significantly predicted by vocabulary (β=.28, p<.001), mathematics (β=.24, p=.001), and mathematical language (β=.28, p<.001). Science and engineering practices performance was significantly predicted by vocabulary (β=.20, p=.009) and EF (β=.19, p=.030). Finally, crosscutting concepts performance was significantly predicted by mathematics (β=.31, p<.001) and mathematical language (β=.25, p=.001). The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of early cross-domain relations between science and engineering and other school readiness skills.

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