The Role of Executive Functions for Dyadic Literacy Learning in Kindergarten

The current study used a dyadic and coconstructive approach to examine how to embed exercises that support executive functioning into early literacy instruction to empower its effects. Using a randomized controlled trial design with 100 children, we examined the effects of dyadic activities in which children scaffolded each other’s learning and behavior through structured questioning procedures. This group was contrasted with a control group whose dyads observed each other while working with the same literacy exercises and with a business-as-usual control group. Research Findings: Results showed that the experimental group showed greater progress in letter knowledge. Further analyses indicated that these results were mainly driven by children with higher levels of executive functions. Practice or Policy: These results suggest that young children are able to regulate each other’s learning behavior during preacademic exercises in dyadic contexts but may need more external control from a teacher when their executive function levels are low.