HOME LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT DURING EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION

Abstract

The paper explores the Home Learning Environment concept’s potential to enhance understanding of educational inequalities at the beginning of compulsory schooling in Brazil. The data comes from a longitudinal study conducted from 2017 to 2018 in a random sample of 46 schools and approximately 2,700 children attending preschool in a public municipal system. The linear and multilevel regression models indicate that the Home Learning Environment measure is associated with cognitive development at the beginning of compulsory schooling (effect sizes from 0.229 to 0.308) and learning during preschool (effect sizes from 0.123 to 0.152). It discusses the relevance of the findings for policies to support families and project possible effects of the pandemic on educational inequalities.