Degree of Bilingualism and Arithmetic Problem Solving in Hispanic First Graders

Abstract

This study demonstrated that 45 first-grade Hispanic bilingual children's problem solving was related to the semantic structures of word problems (a) in a similar manner across their 2 languages, and (b) in a manner similar to that of monolingual populations. I also investigated the relationship between proficiency in each language and arithmetic problem solving in that language. When language proficiency was measured via the Preschool Version, Language Assessment Scales story-retelling task, an indicator of surface fluency, no such relationship was found. However, when proficiency was measured via verbal counting up and counting down, these relationships were found across both languages. Finally, I examined the relationship between degree of bilingualism and problem solving in English and in Spanish that goes beyond the connection between a language and problem solving in that language. This last relationship was found only for English as measured by each of the verbal counting tasks. The results suggest (a) that Hispanic bilingual children enter school with greater competence in solving addition and subtraction word problems than they are usually credited with; (b) that the cognitive benefits of being bilingual might appear, at least initially, in academic subjects; and (c) that these benefits depend on the development of decontextualized, academic language proficiency.