The role of mother’s education and child gender for children’s vocabulary and math skills in the transition from Early Childhood Education and Care to first grade in Norway

Abstract

Parental education and child gender are related to learning and development during childhood and adolescence. The present study investigated the role of mother’s education level and child gender for children’s vocabulary and math skills in Norway. Children’s vocabulary and math skills were assessed in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) centers (Mage = 5.8; N = 243, 49.4% girls) and first grade (Mage = 6.8 years). Results showed that maternal education predicted children’s vocabulary and math skills in a play-based ECEC setting. There was a small gender difference (favoring girls) in math skills but not in vocabulary in ECEC. However, maternal education and gender did not significantly predict the change in vocabulary or math skills from ECEC to first grade, and gender did not moderate the relationship between maternal education and academic skills in young Norwegian children. Implications of these results are discussed.