Dynamic testing with native and migrant preschool children in Germany and Spain, using the Application of Cognitive Functions Scale

Abstract

Dynamic Testing has been shown to reduce the risk of biased assessment of children with an immigrant background. In this study, the goal is to show this effect in preschoolers using the Application of Cognitive Functions Scale (ACFS), a dynamic test based on the test–mediation–test format. Subjects were 226 children living in Germany or in Spain, of which n=119 had a background of migration. The results showed differences between native and migrant children in levels but not in progression of performance, except for auditory memory, thus largely confirming our expectations. Additional analyses of the Spanish subgroups indicate that preschoolers with Latin American background surpass the other migrant children with a non-Spanish-speaking background both in level and progression of performance. Linguistic competence is discussed as a mediating variable. Based on these results, the ACFS is considered a useful test for assessing preschool children with a migratory background.