The relationship between executive processing and computational growth among monolingual and english learners with and without math difficulties: Does it help to be bilingual?

Abstract

Does the commonly reported math achievement gap among elementary school monolingual and English learners (ELs) with and without math difficulties reflect variations in executive processing? This cohort-sequential study (N = 841) explored the cognitive processes that underlie in elementary school children’s math computational growth who are monolingual (English-only) or English learners with Spanish as a first language. Three language subgroups (proficient ELs [relatively proficient in both English and Spanish vocabulary], less proficient ELs [more proficient in English when compared to Spanish vocabulary] and monolingual [English-only]) children with and without math difficulties (MD) were compared on measures of math computation and cognitive growth. As expected, children with MD identified at wave 1 underperformed children without MD in their rate of growth and their level of computational and working memory (WM) performance in the final testing wave. However, two additional findings occurred. First, executive processing measures (working memory and inhibition) were significantly related to computational growth even when measures of reading, fluid intelligence, STM, naming speed and SES were partialed in the analysis. Second, no statistical advantages in executive processing or computation emerged in favor of EL children relative to monolingual children. Taken together, the results support the notion that (a) growth in math computation is tied to growth in the executive system and (b) EL children relatively proficient in English and Spanish experience no growth advantages in WM or computation compared to monolingual children.