Long‐term interrelations between socio‐emotional and language competencies among preschool dual language learners in Germany

Abstract

Background Recent research has shown that socio‐emotional and language competencies are positively associated with each other. However, few studies have explored these associations for the second language competencies (L2) of young dual language learners (DLLs). Aims This longitudinal study investigated possible bidirectional associations between L2 language (expressive and receptive vocabulary) and socio‐emotional competencies among preschool DLLs. Sample The participants were 216 German DLLs (MT1 = 52.67 months; SD = 9.54; 53% girls) who were recruited from 19 preschools. Method L2 skills were assessed at three time points over the course of one year using standardized tests for expressive and receptive vocabulary. Children’s teachers rated their socio‐emotional strengths and behaviour concerns. Cross‐lagged panel analyses were used to examine the temporal interplay and longitudinal directionality of effects controlling for children’s age, sex, type of language acquisition (sequential vs. simultaneous), and socio‐economic status. Results Vocabulary skills and socio‐emotional skills were positively correlated with one another at each time point, such that children with better language proficiency were rated by their teachers as children with higher levels of socio‐emotional competence. Moreover, our results provided support for an effect of early socio‐emotional skills (T1) on the relative increase in L2 vocabulary skills (T2 & T3), particularly for expressive vocabulary. However, our results did not demonstrate a statistically significant effect of better L2 language skills on the relative change in socio‐emotional competencies. Conclusion Our results suggest unidirectional longitudinal relations between the socio‐emotional and L2 skills, signifying the role of socio‐emotional skills for the vocabulary development of DLLs.

The relationship of language and social competence of preschool- and kindergarten-age single and dual language learners in Switzerland and Germany

“…If DLLs have fewer interactions with SLLs, they will gain less experience with the societal language, which they need to initiate conversations and connect with others or be seen as more desirable social partners . Interestingly, Ertanir et al (2020) reported that DLL children who showed higher receptive and expressive skills in the societal language were rated more socially competent by teachers. Similarly, in a study comparing English monolinguals, English-dominant bilinguals, fluent bilinguals, non-English-dominant bilinguals, and non-English monolinguals, Han (2010) found that non-English monolingual children received the lowest teacher ratings and observational scores on interpersonal skills (e.g.…”

“…Mixed findings between language and social competencies have been documented primarily among SLLs, and there is still limited research among DLLs ( Ertanir et al, 2020 ;Halle et al, 2014 ). It is therefore our main goal to further our understanding of the relationship between language skills and social competence of single and dual language learning preschool-and kindergarten-age children.…”

“…However, skills in just one of these modalities cannot be used to infer broader abilities, as the two modalities involve different processes that encompass different skills ( McLaughlin, 2006 ;. Only a few studies have examined the separate influence of expressive and receptive language skills on social competence simultaneously (e.g., Ertanir et al, 2020 ), so that the discrete impact on social competence remains uninvestigated . This is an important endeavor given that expressive and receptive language follow different developmental trajectories.…”

Relations between early majority language and socioemotional development in children with different language backgrounds

“…Studies which simultaneously examined both directions of effect while controlling for children's prior level of outcomes, however, have often found different patterns of results. Some longitudinal studies demonstrated either a unidirectional association (i.e., from language to socioemotional outcomes or the other way around; Ertanir et al, 2021;Girard et al, 2017;Rose et al, 2016) or a bidirectional association between these two domains (Girard et al, 2014(Girard et al, , 2016Petersen et al, 2013), while some research could not provide evidence for a significant relation between them (e.g., Barnett et al, 2012). Notably, while children's language skills were mainly measured by vocabulary in those studies, children's socioemotional development has been assessed very differently across studies, for example, by children's positive behavior, socioemotional difficulties, or a compound indicator (i.e., aggregating various facets of socioemotional development).…”

“…Furthermore, most of these studies did not differentiate between children with various language backgrounds, that is, some (or even all) of the children spoke a minority language other than the majority language of the society at home (e.g., Ertanir et al, 2021;Girard et al, 2014Girard et al, , 2016Girard et al, , 2017Rose et al, 2016). Given the variations in children's (majority) language skills (e.g., Hoff, 2018) or the conditions of language acquisition (e.g., bilingualism, attendance at extrafamilial ECEC), the association between language and socioemotional development might differ between children with different language backgrounds.…”