A new set of tools for capturing the language used by and with latine preschoolers: The index of sophisticated preschool vocabulary / Índice de vocabulario sofisticado pre-escolar

Abstract

Countless studies have highlighted the critical relation between children's vocabulary during the preschool years and their future academic success. Although much of this work has focused on the number of words young children are exposed to, another key aspect of children's vocabulary is their knowledge and use of sophisticated words. However, to date, there has been no systematic tool for capturing preschoolers’ vocabulary sophistication in both English and Spanish. Thus, the present study sought to develop, pilot, and explore the validity of a tool for capturing the sophisticated vocabulary used by and with young Latine children. Findings resulted in the creation and validation of the Index of Sophisticated Preschool Vocabulary (ISP-English) / Índice de vocabulario sofisticado pre-escolar (ISP-Spanish), tools that can support researchers and educators in accurately and equitably capturing Latine preschoolers’ exposure to and use of sophisticated vocabulary.