Journal of Educational Psychology, Vol 117(5), Jul 2025, 701-716; doi:10.1037/edu0000952
The purpose of the current study was to investigate the relative importance of early literacy and executive function (EF) skills in predicting Spanish–English emergent bilinguals’ English reading achievement from kindergarten through Grade 5. Using dominance analysis, I rank ordered by importance the contributions of English and Spanish early reading skills, English oral proficiency, and EF skills (working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility) to English reading achievement across six time points. Results revealed a dynamic pattern of skill importance over time. Early literacy skills consistently dominated EF skills, but their relative influence shifted across grades. In kindergarten, English basic reading skills and oral proficiency were most influential. From first grade onward, Spanish early reading skills emerged as a dominant predictor, while English oral proficiency’s influence decreased. Among EF skills, inhibitory control maintained relatively consistent importance, cognitive flexibility was more influential in earlier grades, and working memory gained prominence in later grades. Findings underscore the potential benefits of supporting both languages and suggest that effective instructional approaches for emergent bilinguals should evolve to address changing cognitive and linguistic demands across primary years. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2025 APA, all rights reserved)