Predicting Interim Assessment Outcomes Among Elementary-Aged English Learners Using Mathematics Computation, Oral Reading Fluency, and English Proficiency Levels

Differential nonlinear relations of language proficiencies to reading and math achievement in Spanish or English.

“…In addition to these key takeaways, the use of GAMs in this study also presents a methodological advancement. GAMs can flexibly include nonlinear multivariate relations even with complex interaction terms (e.g., RQ2 results), while most prior studies focus on linear relations of language proficiency to reading or math (e.g., Hall et al, 2022; Kim, 2012). GAMs can offer more nuanced perspectives on relations between key variables, which may help paint a more thorough picture of the complex interrelations between variables like reading, math, and language proficiencies.…”

“…Moreover, the novel statistical approach in this study, GAMs, highlights the potential heterogeneity in how language proficiency relates to reading and math achievement, which may need to be accounted for when making data-based decisions regarding ELs’ language and academic performance. Although many prior studies have examined relations of ELP to reading (Galloway & Uccelli, 2019; Hall et al, 2022; Richardson et al, 2020) and to a lesser extent math (Hall et al, 2022; Vukovic & Lesaux, 2013), the present study is the first to examine how language proficiencies might differentially (and nonlinearly) relate to reading and math screening performance in multiple languages. This represents a unique contribution to the literature by advancing knowledge of data-based decision-making with respect to language proficiencies and reading/math screening performance in multiple languages.…”

“…Adequately capturing ELs’ academic strengths and needs in light of their heterogeneous language backgrounds and proficiencies is essential to equitable data-based decisions and intervention provision. English language proficiency (ELP) can provide additional important information in universal screening (Hall et al, 2022) and progress monitoring (Marrs et al, 2022; Richardson et al, 2020). Other recent work has detailed the predictive validity of reading screening in Spanish (Klingbeil et al, 2021), which assists with understanding the technical adequacy of screening students in non-English languages.…”

“…The substantial prior research on relations between ELP and reading would indicate that greater ELP is a strong indicator of higher reading skills in English (Galloway & Uccelli, 2019; Geva & Farnia, 2012; Hall et al, 2022), even when considering students’ first language (Gottardo et al, 2021; Kim, 2012; Prevoo et al, 2016). Relations between ELP and math, however, are more idiosyncratic and less well understood, particularly in the context of screening.…”

“…Relations between ELP and math, however, are more idiosyncratic and less well understood, particularly in the context of screening. Some prior work (Hall et al, 2022) suggests that ELP contributes to risk classification accuracy above and beyond computation performance, and many prior studies have documented positive relations between ELP and math (Swanson et al, 2018(Swanson et al, , 2021Vukovic & Lesaux, 2013). Altogether, a reasonable assumption of the relations between math, reading, and language would be that higher ELP would relate to higher reading and math scores.…”