| Title: |
Executive Function and Pre-Academic Skills in Preschoolers from South Africa |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Caylee J. Cook (ORCID 0000-0001-9718-8887); Steven Howard (ORCID 0000-0002-1258-3210); Gaia Scerif (ORCID 0000-0002-6371-8875); Rhian Twine (ORCID 0000-0002-0766-6556); Kathleen Kahn (ORCID 0000-0003-3339-3931); Shane Norris (ORCID 0000-0001-7124-3788); Catherine Draper (ORCID 0000-0002-2885-437X) |
| Source: |
South African Journal of Childhood Education. 2023 13(1). |
| Availability: |
AOSIS. 15 Oxford Street, Durbanville, Cape Town, 7550 South Africa. Tel: +27-21-975-2602; Fax: +27-21-975-4635; e-mail: publishing@aosis.co.za; Web site: https://sajce.co.za/index.php/sajce |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
11 |
| Publication Date: |
2023 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Descriptors: |
Executive Function; Preschool Children; Academic Ability; School Readiness; Foreign Countries; Correlation; Academic Achievement; Urban Areas; Poverty Areas; Rural Schools; Sanitation; Water; Housing; Crime; Violence; Child Development; Screening Tests; Scores; Prediction; Equal Education; Access to Education |
| Geographic Terms: |
South Africa |
| ISSN: |
2223-7674; 2223-7682 |
| Abstract: |
Background: While there is now considerable evidence in support of a relationship between executive function (EF) and academic success, these findings almost uniformly derive from Western and high-income countries. Yet, recent findings from low- to -middle-income countries have suggested that patterns of EF and academic skills differ in these contexts, but there is little clarity on the extent, direction and nature of their association. Aim: This study aimed to investigate the contribution of EF to pre-academic skills in a sample of preschool children (N = 124; M[subscript age] = 50.91 months; 45% female). Setting: Two preschools were recruited from an urban setting in a community with both formal and informal housing, overcrowding, high levels of crime and violence, and poor service delivery. Three preschools were recruited from rural communities with household plots, a slow rate of infrastructure development, reliance on open fires for cooking, limited access to running water and rudimentary sanitation. Methods: Pre-academic skills were assessed using the Herbst Early Childhood Development Criteria test, and EF was assessed using the Early Years Toolbox. Results: Although EF scores appeared high and pre-academic skills were low (in norm comparisons), EF inhibition ([beta] = 0.23, p = 0.001) and working memory ([beta] = 0.25, p < 0.001) nevertheless showed strong prediction of pre-academic skills while shifting was not significant. Conclusion: While EF is an important predictor of pre-academic skills even in this low- and middle-income country context, factors in addition to EF may be equally important targets to foster school readiness in these settings. Contribution: The current study represents a first step towards an understanding of the current strengths that can be leveraged, and opportunities for additional development, in the service of preparing all children for the demands of school. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| Entry Date: |
2024 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1409701 |
| Database: |
ERIC |