Exploring Cognition and Early Academic Achievement of African American Children

描述（由申请人提供）：认知和学术成就之间的联系已经被研究了世纪，有证据表明认知是成就的有力预测因素。然而，我们所知道的关于早期认知过程和成就之间关系的大部分信息都来自于对主要是白人儿童或低收入非洲裔美国儿童的研究。拟议的研究重点是在广泛的社会经济地位（SES）的非洲裔美国儿童检查，避免在检查只有低收入的非洲裔美国儿童固有的混淆。在拟议的研究中，入学认知过程（流体推理，执行功能和结晶知识）的课堂质量（情感支持，课堂组织和教学支持）和学生-教师关系（温暖和冲突）的背景下进行检查，以阐明早期阅读和数学成绩的决定因素之间的经济多样化的样本非洲裔美国儿童。该研究采用以变量为中心和以人为中心的方法进行分析，将使用从大约200名儿童的经济多样化样本中获得的数据进行研究，这些儿童在他们的学前教育中学习，然后在他们的幼儿园再次学习。拟议的研究将对改善非裔美国儿童的教育成果产生重大影响，通过提高我们对影响这一服务不足人群早期阅读和数学成绩的儿童x环境过程的理解。研究结果可用于制定有关儿童早期发展和教育的治疗，干预或政策，从而有助于提高该国儿童的健康和成果。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The link between cognition and academic achievement has been examined for over a century, with evidence indicating cognition as a strong predictor of achievement. However, most of what we know regarding the relation between early cognitive processes and achievement comes from research on primarily Caucasian children or low-income African American children. The proposed research focuses on examining African American children across a broad range of socioeconomic statuses (SES), avoiding the inherent confound in examination of only low-income African American children. In the proposed research, school entry cognitive processes (fluid reasoning, executive functioning, and crystallized knowledge) are examined within the context of classroom quality (emotional support, classroom organization, and instructional support) and student- teacher relationships (warmth and conflict) to elucidate determinants of early reading and math achievement among an economically diverse sample of African American children. The research, which takes both a variable-centered as well as a person-centered approach to the analyses, will be conducted using data obtained from an economically diverse sample of approximately 200 children studied in their pre-K year and then again in their kindergarten year. The proposed research will have a significant impact on improving educational outcomes in African American children by enhancing our understanding of the child x environment processes that influence early reading and math achievement in this underserved population. Results of the research can be used in developing treatments, interventions, or policies concerning early childhood development and education for this understudied population, thereby contributing to enhancing the health and outcomes of children in this nation.