Adam Winsler

George Mason University | GMU · Department of Psychology

This study explores the relationship between executive functioning (EF) and degree of bilingualism in a sample ( N = 79) of 5- to 7-year-old monolingual and bilingual children. The bilingual group included children who are fully fluent in two languages (balanced bilinguals) and children who are still learning their second language (dual-language le...

The present study examined parents' and teachers' perceptions of student learning in Spanish-English Dual Language Education (DLE) programs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The participants included 72 parents of students from kindergarten to second grade and eight teachers in two schools in the southeastern U.S. Parents retrospectively reported their...

The present work synthesises the self-talk literature and constructs a transdisciplinary self-talk model to guide future research across all academic disciplines that engage with self-talk. A comprehensive research review was conducted, including 559 self-talk articles published between 1978 and 2020. These articles were divided into 6 research cat...

Earlier acquisition of English is associated with better academic performance for dual language learners (DLLs), but large-scale, prospective, longitudinal studies examining how trajectories for English acquisition relate to school-based outcomes, accounting for relevant covariates, are rare. We explored how the grade in which DLLs ( N = 17,548; 47...

Introduction While a growing body of research indicates that Spanish language courses can promote Spanish maintenance and lead to overall improved educational outcomes among heritage speakers, there is little empirical or longitudinal evidence of factors that shape their enrollment in Spanish language courses at the secondary level. To address this...

Influential variables that modulate bilinguals’ performance on language and cognitive tasks are not yet clearly and well enough understood, owing to the complexity of bilingualism and multilingualism. This complex nature of bilingualism makes scholars even question whether bilingualism is effectively captured as a categorical variable and propose c...

This collection brings together linguistic, psychological, and sociological perspectives reflecting on the relationships and interactions of the multilayered factors impacting second language development and cognitive competence. The book advocates a system approach as a counterpoint to existing scholarship, which has tended to focus on a small set...

According to music educators, persistence beyond a student’s initial enrollment in middle and high school music is a problem; however, there has been little research to substantiate this claim. Although several recent large-scale, longitudinal studies of initial selection into music classes have been conducted, longitudinal studies on who persists...

Book Synopsis: The book is now available at https://www.routledge.com/Understanding-Variability-in-Second-Language-Acquisition-Bilingualism/Kersten-Winsler/p/book/9780367726386?utm_medium=email&utm_source=EmailStudio&utm_campaign=B190608181_4315119#

Parenting is known to impact children's executive function (EF) skills. However, nearly all the evidence comes from analyses of mother-child interaction. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Child Development and Care Database in Taiwan, the relations between both mother-child and father-child interaction and 3-year-olds' EF were investigated i...

Preschoolers spend much time with digital media and some are concerned about impacts on language development. Private speech (PS) is self-talk children use during play, representing a necessary form of self-regulation. This study examined whether modality (material vs. digital) matters for children’s PS. Twenty-nine White 5-yr-olds (52% female) com...

This study aims to examine relations between Chinese preschoolers’ physical well-being (physical fitness and motor skills), executive functioning, and academic skills (receptive language, math, and science skills) at the end of the Kindergarten year, the last year of preschool in the Chinese early childhood education system. A total of 273 children...

Foreign language learning is generally not required in the United States, despite its link to various cognitive and social benefits later in life. Students who speak a home language different from the instructional language of school may experience unique benefits when learning additional languages in school. The present study examined whether stud...

Purpose: Motivation among young athletes can be reflected in their self-talk, a behavior that is often encouraged by coaches. Most research on self-talk in sport involves self-report, thus observational studies of the actual self-talk used in sport in relation to athlete motivation and coach support are needed. Methods: We observed young elite t...

In this study, we use a large-scale (n = 33,717) ethnically diverse (59% Latinx, 34% Black, and 7% White/other) largely low-income sample to assess the predictive power of a wide range of school readiness skills measured at age four in preschool on authentic academic outcomes through Grade 5. Specifically, we explored the extent to which cognitive,...

As a result of No Child Left Behind, Florida began mandatory 3rd grade retention for children who fail the high-stakes reading Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test [FCAT]. We examined enforcement practices of this policy. We examined a large (N = 27,980), ethnically diverse, urban sample. Of those who took the FCAT reading test in 3rd grade, 15% f...

During the first phase of the COVID-19 outbreak, Italy experienced problems of public order and maladjusted behavior. This study assessed the role of negative affectivity, right-wing authoritarianism, and anxiety of COVID-19 infection in explaining a variety of the maladjusted behaviors (i.e., “China-phobic” discrimination, panic buying) observed w...

This study assesses the excellence gap by examining those who enroll in advanced, honors, and advanced placement (AP) classes among a low-income and a majority-Latinx population. Prospective longitudinal data come from a diverse, urban sample ( N = 32,885) where 82.2% of the students received free or reduced price lunch. We examined numerous predic...

It is vital for researchers examining student outcomes of school mobility to understand and control for selection effects—the many ways that students who experience school mobility are different from those who do not switch schools. Using data from a 5-cohort sequential longitudinal study (N = 26,063, 61.2% Latinx, 31.3% Black, 6.7% White/other, an...

This chapter explores the transitional practice of voluntarily delaying a student's kindergarten entry through a combination of reviewing prior literature and also presenting new research findings. Using data from a large, predominantly low-income and ethnically diverse sample, the authors examine early elementary school outcomes for a group of chi...

This chapter will take a critical look at this literature and push the field to take a step back and look at theory and ideology behind expectations and goals. Is it really the case that what we want from our public educational system is that we will always show complete “sustained effects” of pre-K programs? Almost 15 years ago, Jeanne Brooks-Gunn...

Public school pre-k programs are not only effective in promoting children’s school readiness but are also potentially useful for easing the transition from pre-k to kindergarten. One possible reason for this ease of transition is eliminating the need for children to change schools when starting kindergarten. However, little is known about whether c...

School readiness is a concern for parents when deciding whether/when to enroll their children in kindergarten. Increased rigor/accountability standards in kindergarten may push parents to delay their child’s entry into school, known as “academic redshirting.” Current estimates suggest that 3–7% of students delay kindergarten entry in the US and tha...

Research Findings This longitudinal study examined how teacher-child interaction quality related to growth in children’s approaches to learning (ATL), measured by Competence Motivation Learning Strategies, and Attention and Persistence, in a stratified random sample of 607 Chinese children. Data on classroom teacher-child interaction quality (three...

We analyzed data from a large-scale ( N = 39,213), longitudinal study of urban students to assess child factors (gender, ethnicity, English language learner status, school readiness skills, type of pre-K attended, early elementary school academic performance) prospectively associated with eventual gifted identification in elementary school. Overall...

This study used covariate adjusted regression techniques to compare the third-grade outcomes of low-income Latinx children who attended Montessori pre-K programs (n = 161) with those who graduated from more conventional programs (n = 4975) in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Children who experienced one year of Montessori education demonstrated stronger...

A person-centered approach was used to explore how preschool school readiness profiles predict Grade 3 academic performance among a large (N = 43,044) low-income, ethnically-diverse longitudinal sample of children. Study aims: (a) determine the number and type of preschoolers’ school readiness profiles, (b) determine how profile membership relates...

Using a longitudinal sample of 508 Chinese preschool children, this study examined how family socioeconomic status (SES) was related to preschool children's social skills development through family processes using multilevel latent growth curve modeling. After controlling for the effects of personal characteristics, a significant indirect effect of...

The olfactory system represents the most acute and phylogenetically oldest device that the majority of organisms have to know their physical and social environment. In humans, however, the most predominant functional sense is sight, by virtue of an evolutionary path that has strongly limited the role of olfaction in decision making, social behavior...

Researchers attempting to show that music has positive effects on children need to understand and control for preexisting differences between those who do and do not select into musical participation in the first place. Within a large-scale, communitywide, prospective, longitudinal study of predominantly low-income, ethnically diverse students ( N...

This is the early childhood version of the Top 20 Principles. A free downloadable copy is available at: https://www.apa.org/ed/schools/teaching-learning/top-twenty/early-childhood/index

Research findings on school diversity and its impact on children’s educational outcomes is mixed. This study examined school racial diversity and educational outcomes for ethnically diverse students. Data came from third graders, N = 33,857 (51.8% male; 57.2% Latinx), in 278 schools. Using multilevel models, we examined the association between scho...

This study assesses the long-term linguistic and academic outcomes associated with different bilingual language education models for low-income dual language learners (DLLs) residing in a bilingual, bicultural context. As part of the Miami School Readiness Project (MSRP), we analyzed the impact of program model on gains in English language proficie...

Neighborhoods are geographical areas within a town or city that encompass or define a community. Neighborhoods are complex systems that affect individuals in many important ways. Every aspect of a child's development is influenced by various neighborhood factors, such as poverty level, violence, access to grocery stores, social cohesion, and the qu...

Researchers have examined self-talk and performance in tennis matches, but the current understanding of speech-to-performance associations in tennis is hindered by conflicting evidence from self-report and observation, and by the use of relatively simple statistical analyses that fail to account for speech and performance events being nested within...

Gang involvement is associated with many negative outcomes. However, the social and emotional development of gang-involved youth has received little empirical investigation. This study examines the social and emotional outcomes of gang-involved youth. Data come from the 2009 Fairfax County Youth Survey administered to eighth, 10th, and 12th grade s...

Many children around the world grow up bilingual, learning and using two or more languages in everyday life. Currently, however, children’s language backgrounds are not always reported in developmental studies. There is mounting evidence that bilingualism interacts with a wide array of processes including language, cognitive, perceptual, brain, and...

Many children around the world grow up bilingual, learning and using two or more languages in everyday life. Currently, however, children’s language backgrounds are not always reported in developmental studies. There is mounting evidence that bilingualism interacts with a wide array of processes including language, cognitive, perceptual, brain, and...

Early fine motor ability is significantly associated with later achievement, even after controlling for typical child-level predictors of school outcomes. Previous longitudinal studies have confirmed this but typically have not included low-income, at-risk populations. Research has distinguished two different aspects of fine motor skills: those tha...

Crib speech, the monologue speech of a young child before s/he falls asleep, has been examined in very few studies to date. Private speech has been explored in relation to potential motivational and self-regulatory functions, but few studies have examined private speech in pretend play or pre-sleep contexts. This longitudinal case study examines th...

Contemporary perspectives on emergent literacy in preschool emphasize the importance of providing developmentally appropriate, authentic, early writing experiences and supporting students’ home language and culture. The current study analyzed kindergarten outcomes for 82 linguistically diverse, low-income children (60% Black, 40% Latino) who partic...

Although research shows associations between adolescents general arts involvement and academic performance, little research documents links between enrollment in middle school dance elective courses and academic achievement, especially within low-income, urban populations. Further, differences between adolescents who do and do not have access to, o...

The current study explored private speech (PS), private singing, and humming in relation to executive function (EF). Fifty-eight children (4–8 years)were observed as they performed a selective attention task (SAT)and engaged in PS. In addition, their EF was measured with tests of cognitive flexibility (Dimensional Change Card Sorting Task), inhibit...

It is critical for research on the effects of arts engagement to identify and carefully control for preexisting selection factors that differentiate those who do and do not get exposure to the arts. We prospectively followed a large and diverse sample of preschool children (n = 31,332; 61% Latino, 32% Black, 55% ELL, 81% free/reduced lunch) until t...

This study explores the short-run effects of state-funded, public school-based pre-kindergarten (pre-K) programs on the early educational outcomes of students in Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Using data on all kindergarten students enrolled in the public schools in years 2006 and 2007, we examine differences in outcomes from pre-K to the early...

Parents and teachers provide complimentary information in the assessment of preschoolers so it is important to understand parent–teacher agreement, especially for children with autism. Parents and teachers rated an ethnically diverse sample of preschoolers with autism (N = 257; 67% Latino) on the Devereux Early Childhood Assessment (LeBuffe and Nag...

Abstract: Few researchers have examined longitudinal relations between early childhood parenting and peer interaction and later aggressive behavior in children. Relationships with parents affect how future relationships are approached and receiving sensitivity from and having a secure relationship with one's parents are related to less child aggres...

Children’s social and behavioral skills prior to school entry are important components of school readiness that relate to long-term academic success. Parents and teachers, however, can have different perceptions of children’s strengths. We examined parent and preschool teacher reports of the social and behavioral skills of predominantly low-income...

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This study examined the relationship between investment of financial resources in early childhood education (ECE) and student academic outcomes using survey and observational data from 59 classrooms in Guangdong Province, China (N = 589, 50% girls, and Mage = 5.1 ± 0.42 years). We conceptualized the mediating role of teacher-child interaction as an...

The prevalence of risky behaviors (e.g. delinquency, aggression) increases during adolescence. Bioecological models help us understand multiple contextual risk and protective factors important for prevention of these behaviors. Further, adolescence is a crucial time for social relationships; thus investigating relationship domains and their influen...

Social learning theory suggests that behavior can be learned through observation of a role model[1]. Role models are influential socialization agents and can be part of any relationship dyad. Relationships, especially with a role model, are a foundation of development and positive well-being[4]. Although youth look up to their parents through child...

Although quality center-based child care is helpful in promoting school readiness for dual language learners (DLLs), little is known about the nonparental child care that young DLL children experience. DLL status is often confounded with immigrant status, ethnicity, and poverty. Using nationally representative data from the Early Childhood Longitud...

When individuals correct their own speech, it is often assumed they are doing so for the benefit of others’ comprehension. As such, most of the research exploring speech repairs, especially among young children, has been conducted with social speech (between two or more people) and little with private speech (speech directed toward the self). In th...

Little is known about the early educational performance of children in migrant farmworker families. The authors examined the school readiness and early school success of 289 four-year-old preschool children of migrant families attending Redlands Christian Migrant Association centers. Children's school readiness was assessed and public school record...

Relations among parenting stress, parenting style, and child executive functioning for children with disabilities are not easily teased apart. The current study explored these relations among 82 children and adolescents age 7–18: 21 with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, 33 with autism spectrum disorder, and 28 typically developing. Results...

This study examined the third-grade outcomes of 11,902 low-income Latino children who experienced public school pre-K or child care via subsidies (center-based care) at age 4 in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Regression and propensity score analyses revealed that children who experienced public school pre-K earned higher scores on standardized assessm...

How students manage their time is critical for academic performance and is an important component of self-regulated learning. The purpose of the present study was to examine relationships among first-year college students’ (N = 589) time use, academic self-regulation, and target and actual grade point average (GPA) at three time points. Findings sh...

Research Findings: Recent research and teacher reports have highlighted the importance of early behavior skills for children’s school readiness and academic success in elementary school. Significant gaps in school readiness and achievement exist between children in poverty and those more affluent. Low-income children are also more likely to exhibit...

The present study was designed to explore the association between preschool academic skills and Grade 3 achievement among a sample of ethnically diverse children from low-income families. Data were collected from a sample of 1,442 low-income, ethnically diverse children in preschool and associated with Grade 3 achievement in reading and mathematics...

Individual differences exist in emotional experiences, and cultural context is believed to play an important role in emotion socialization. How parental meta-emotion philosophy (MEP) is related to children’s anxiety, somatization, and anger was examined cross-culturally. Cultural group and child’s gender as moderators to parental MEP and emotional...

Using data from the Miami School Readiness Project (MSRP), we examine the kindergarten readiness of five cohorts (2002–2007) of children from low-income, ethnically, and linguistically diverse families (n = 16,176) in Miami, Florida who experienced three types of publicly funded preschool programs the year before kindergarten: public school-based p...

The current study focused on relations between maternal and paternal perceived parenting style, marital conflict, and child behavior outcomes. Child participants (N = 152) ranged in age from 3 to 9 years old. Reports from both parents on perceived parenting style, marital conflict, and child behavior problems were collected. Results indicated that...

Somatization is the propensity to experience and report psychological and/or emotional suffering through physical symptoms that cannot be explained by known medical causes. Somatic complaints are often a result of an impaired ability to verbalize emotional distress, and are commonly encountered in children and adolescents. Children report a diversi...

Via naturalistic observations, parent interview, and direct assessments, we examined language proficiency, language use, and differentiation of a 3-year, 4-month-old bilingual child exposed to Mandarin and English via the ‘one parent-one language’ principle. Although noun versus verb dominance has been explored across verb-based (Mandarin) and noun...

Using nationally representative data from the ECLS-B, we examined children's outcomes and growth from 9 to 65 months as a function of language used in the home at 24 months (English only n = 7300; English and another language n = 1500; other language only n = 400). We also examined whether demographic variables moderated the effects of DLL status i...

Like many English-dominant nations, Australia has a rich history of cultural and linguistic diversity. This diversity is the result of a melting pot of languages including languages spoken by Australia's Indigenous people and languages added by European settlement and subsequent waves of migration from various parts of the world. Despite this rich...

College is a particularly valuable period of growth that allows for the examining of changes in academic goal-orientation. This project examines change over time in college performance, and links this change to student goal orientation over the first year of college. Specifically, we expected that students with strong mastery-oriented goals will ex...

Little is known about 2nd language development among young, low-income, language-minority children. This article examined the longitudinal English development of low-income, dual language learners (DLLs) in Miami (n = 18,532) from kindergarten through 5th grade. Growth curve modeling indicated that social skills, good behavior, Spanish (L1) compete...

Insufficient sleep is a risk factor for depression, suicidality, and substance use, yet little is known about gender, ethnic, and community-level differences in sleep and its associated outcomes, especially during adolescence. Further, much of the prior work has compared groups of teens getting plenty as opposed to insufficient amounts of sleep rat...

Although prior research has shown that young children exhibit enhanced self-control when they use verbal strategies provided through adult instructions, little work has examined the role of children's spontaneous verbalizations or motor behavior as strategies for enhancing self-control. The present study examined the usefulness of spontaneous verba...

This article analyzes the role that individual differences in children's cognitive, Spanish competence, and socio-emotional and behavioral skills play in predicting the concurrent and longitudinal acquisition of English among a large sample of ethnically diverse, low-income, Hispanic preschool children. Participants assessed at age 4 for language,...

Within the United States, there are a variety of early education models and curricula aimed at promoting young children’s pre-academic, social, and behavioral skills. This study, using data from the Miami School Readiness Project (Winsler et al., 2008, 2012), examined the school readiness gains of low- income Latino (n = 7,045) and Black (n = 6,700...

Critical ethnic and gender gaps exist in college retention and graduation rates. Early achievement motivation may play an important role in student persistence. A sample of undergraduates completed surveys tapping motivation at the beginning (n = 591) and end (n = 232) of their first semester in college. African American and Caucasian students were...

This study examined the relationship between child language skills and parent and child gestures of 58 youths with and without an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis. Frequencies and rates of total gesture use as well as five categories of gestures (deictic, conventional, beat, iconic, and metaphoric) were reliably coded during the collaborati...

Dramatic increases have occurred in the number of children who speak languages other than English at home in the United States and English language learners (ELLs) need support both for becoming proficient in English and for maintaining their first language. In this paper, five types of bilingual education implemented in the United States are revie...

Although it is well established that Black male students are underrepresented in gifted educational programs in the United States, due to a scarcity of longitudinal prospective research, little is known about the protective factors at the child, family, and school level that increase the probability of Black male students being identified as gifted...