The Role of Language and Literacy Skills in Science Learning from Kindergarten to 5th Grade: Mitigating Gender, Racial/Ethnic, and Socio-Economic Disparities

Abstract

Despite the acknowledged impact of early science achievement on future success, there is a noticeable gap in research focused on understanding the dynamic longitudinal patterns of children attaining science learning milestones in their early years, as well as few investigations of potential factors that may mitigate gender, racial/ethnic, and socio-economic disparities. This study analyzed nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study of Kindergarten Cohort 2011 (ECLS-K: 2011), involving 18,174 children from 1328 schools across the United States, selected through a multistage probability sampling process and spanning kindergarten through 5th grade. Using survival analysis with the dependent variable as the time required to attain a specific milestone, the study revealed that boys, non-Black, non-Hispanic, and high-income children reached the science learning threshold earlier than their counterparts—girls, Black, Hispanic, and low-income children. Furthermore, the study underscored the crucial role of language and literacy skills in mitigating these disparities. The study’s implications stress the importance of targeted interventions to address early science education disparities, emphasizing professional development and integrating language and literacy with science learning. The research also enriches the global discourse on educational standards by introducing innovative methodologies to assess both the frequency and duration of science learning milestones.