COMMUTING SATISFACTION AND SUBJECTIVE WELL-BEING: Linking life domains, workplace relocation and working from home practices

Doctoral thesis (2023)

This dissertation examines the relationship between commuting satisfaction (CS) and subjective well-being (SWB) and investigates the dynamics of commuting. For the analysis, secondary data (EU-SILC, P ... [more ▼]

This dissertation examines the relationship between commuting satisfaction (CS) and subjective well-being (SWB) and investigates the dynamics of commuting. For the analysis, secondary data (EU-SILC, P-SELL III) as well as self-collected data from an online survey about changes in workplace location and working conditions were collected. The combination of these datasets allows the exploration of three important aspects of the relationship between CS and SWB. First, the direct and indirect effects of CS on SWB are examined by considering the interplay with satisfaction with other life domains than commuting, including among others work, accommodation, time-use, leisure time, personal relationships, and health. This is an important contribution to the field of travel satisfaction because it provides an in-depth analysis of how SWB depends not only on satisfaction with a typical commute to work, but also on satisfaction with other activities that are linked to commuting. Previous studies have examined the relationship between commuting satisfaction and SWB but have largely ignored satisfaction with other life domains. This is rather surprising given that commuting depends to a large extent on decisions people make regarding other life domains such as where to live and work. This dissertation thus provides a broader conceptualization of commuting satisfaction, avoiding certain biases that otherwise might exist when interactions with satisfaction with other life domains are ignored. Second, it explores the dynamics of commuting by analyzing the impact of life events on commuting (dis)satisfaction, and the reverse. This temporal dimension of CS adds a dynamic layer to the current static interpretation of travel satisfaction by examining changes in individuals' longer-term life decisions, such as residence and/or workplace location, focusing on voluntary and involuntary relocation. Voluntary workplace relocation occurs when the employee willingly decide to change their jobs, while the latter occurs when the employee is forced to move with their employer in order to retain their jobs. This distinction in terms of workplace relocation thus provides a first empirical analysis on the dynamics of CS. Third, it allows us to examine the extent to which the relationships between CS, satisfaction with other life domains, and SWB are still applicable today, in post-pandemic times where working from home became more important than ever. This is an important contribution to the field of travel satisfaction as it provides first-hand insights into how the relationship between CS and SWB differs in post-pandemic times. The main findings from this consolidated work on travel satisfaction, particularly commuting satisfaction, are manifold. First, commuting is not a stand-alone life domain, but is connected to all other life domains, especially time-use satisfaction. Therefore, it is recommended for future studies to invest more in time-use research to understand the complexity and interplay between CS and SWB. Second, individuals who are dissatisfied with their commute do not necessarily have the financial resources and stability to change either residence or workplace to cope with dissatisfying commute patterns. These individuals who tolerate commuting dissatisfaction in their personal lives might simultaneously have a negative impact on their time-use satisfaction due to time-poverty that arises from commuting longer distances or for longer time, which obviously comes at the expense of dissatisfaction with leisure-time or personal relationships. Future research should therefore address the question of whether people make changes in their lives, for example by changing workplace location or residence, or whether they tolerate dissatisfaction with commuting, which in turn could affect their satisfaction with other life domains and SWB. This will help practitioners and policy makers in formulating the necessary transport and planning policies to accommodate these dissatisfied commuters. Fourth, people seem to be more satisfied with their commute after a voluntary workplace relocation than those who changed workplaces involuntarily. However, the question of how lasting this effect of a workplace relocation on CS is and whether CS changes over time as people become accustomed to the changed environment (treadmill effect) remains unanswered. Future research to understand the dynamics of commuting is therefore needed, using a rigorous panel design. Fifth, a workplace relocation could also lead to residential mobility. This is often noted in previous studies and somewhat addressed in this dissertation, but is not fully explored in the travel satisfaction literature. Therefore, further research is needed on the co-occurrence of life events and their impact on CS, i.e. how a workplace relocation triggers residential mobility and how lasting are its impact on CS. This can be achieved using a life-course approach to gain a better understanding of the life choices individuals make in terms of changes in their travel behavior and satisfaction, to enable better evaluation of transport and land use policies. Finally, hybrid workers (who work from home two to three days per week) seem to have higher levels of SWB compared to occasional teleworkers (who work from home less than one day per week). This implies that the well-documented relationship between CS and SWB needs to be re-examined as commuting has been limited for some people due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic as they have shifted to working from home. Future research is therefore needed to identify whether commuting actually lengthens occasional teleworkers' total workday and reduces the time they could have spent on other non-travel activities, and whether the time hybrid workers save by not commuting to work every day influences the time they spend on other non-travel activities such as household chores, childcare and sleep. Such an in-depth analysis of the interplay between CS, SWB and satisfaction with non-travel-related life domains is indeed needed to determine not only in which areas employees' well-being can be improved, but also how. On a final note, although commuting has a significant impact on individuals' SWB, it is not necessarily the most important life domain. Previous studies have shown that commuting is a stressful activity and has a direct negative impact on individual SWB; however, the results of this dissertation did not find a negative relationship between CS and SWB. In contrast to previous findings, we conclude that satisfaction with time use has the strongest total effect on SWB; regardless of how often individuals commute to work. This might suggest that individuals can maximize their utility and thus their overall SWB as long as they are free to optimize their time. As for the prospective approach of CS, we know that dissatisfaction with commute triggers changes in life event, such as (but not limited to) changing workplace or residence. However, for the majority of dissatisfied individuals who are unable to make a change, the question of how this dissatisfaction spill over onto satisfaction with non-travel-related life domains due to time poverty that results from commuting longer distances seeks further investigation. As for the dynamics, although workers who voluntary changed their workplace have higher CS than those who changes on an involuntary basis, the question of how lasting this is, and whether CS changes over time when people get accustomed to the changed environment (treadmill effect), is a topic for future research. [less ▲]

Researching children’s participation and agency in Luxembourg

Scientific Conference (2023, August 30)

This paper presents the concepts of participation and child agency. According to the United Nations Human rights, children have the right to express their views, and their voices should be considered ... [more ▼]

This paper presents the concepts of participation and child agency. According to the United Nations Human rights, children have the right to express their views, and their voices should be considered. This means for early childhood education (ECE), that children should be perceived as agents who actively participate in the daily life of the institution. Participation contributes to the development of children’s self-esteem, well-being, and self-efficacy (Correia et al., 2019). It is closely tied to agency which is the performative capacity to act with some autonomy and take position in relation to others (Almér, 2017). The theoretical frameworks draw on socio-cultural theories (Vygotsky, 1978) and theories of language socialization (Corsaro, 2018). Several qualitative longitudinal studies have researched participation and children’s agentic behaviour in ECE institutions in Luxembourg. Data is collected after informed consent has been obtained from the participants, but the researchers maintained the children’s assent by ensuring that they felt comfortable during the observations. Our teams investigated children’s participation in language and literacy activities. Mortini (2021) conceptualized language-based agency on a continuum from “participatory” to “controlling”. Children at the participatory end used their entire semiotic repertoire to engage in activities while those at the “controlling end” changed their learning activities. Based on Corsaro (2005) we found that children enacted their agency by creatively reproducing strategies as well as languaging and literacy practices (Kirsch & Mortini, 2021). Given that children’s participation is closely related to their personal development, it is important that educators perceive children as actors in ECE institutions. [less ▲]

Curvature-mediated Programming of Liquid Crystal Microflows

in Soft Matter (2023)

Using experiments and numerical simulations, we demonstrate that the curvature of microscale conduits allow programming of liquid crystal (LC) flows. Focusing on a nematic LC flowing through U- and L ... [more ▼]

Using experiments and numerical simulations, we demonstrate that the curvature of microscale conduits allow programming of liquid crystal (LC) flows. Focusing on a nematic LC flowing through U- and L-shaped channels of rectangular cross-section, our results reveal that curved flow paths can trigger gradients of flow-induced director field in the transverse direction. The emergent director field feeds back into the flow field, ultimately leading to LC flows controlled by the channel curvature. This curvature-mediated flow control, identified by polarizing optical microscopy and supported by the nematofluidic solutions, offers novel concepts in LC-based microfluidic valves and throttles, wherein the throughput distribution is determined by the Ericksen number and the variations in the local curvature. Finally, this work highlights the role of deformation history on flow-induced director alignments, when the viscous and elastic effects comparable in strength. [less ▲]

Seeing the Connection: A Systematic Review of Meta-Analyses on the Link Between Teacher-Student Relationships and Student Outcomes

Scientific Conference (2023, August 25)

Theoretical background School climate is a key construct with great potential to impact student outcomes. The construct is multidimensional and includes, for instance, academic, community, safety, and ... [more ▼]

Theoretical background School climate is a key construct with great potential to impact student outcomes. The construct is multidimensional and includes, for instance, academic, community, safety, and institutional environment aspects (Wang & Degol, 2016). While the dimensions may vary, researchers widely agree that teacher-student relationships play a vital role in establishing a positive school climate (Wang et al., 2020). Their role can be explained by Bronfenbrenner's (1979) bioecological theory identifying the driver of human development as the interaction with the persons in our closest (proximal) environment. Thus, in a school setting, emotional warmth and closeness or conflict and dependence in teacher-student relationships should also be associated with positive/negative student outcomes. Several meta-analyses uncovered significant associations between teacher-student relationships and school engagement, good peer relationships, executive functioning, well-being, and reductions in aggressive or disruptive behaviors (Endedijk et al., 2021; Nurmi, 2012; Roorda et al., 2011; Vandenbroucke et al., 2018). However, these meta-analyses differed in their methods and substantive findings. Moreover, the extant literature is ambiguous about which moderators (e.g., age) influence these relationships. Furthermore, the reporting and quality of meta-analyses in this field vary considerably, which can compromise the reliability and validity of their findings. Aims Given these research gaps, we systematically searched and reviewed the meta-analytic literature (Cooper & Koenka, 2012) to provide an overview of correlations between teacher-student relationships and student outcomes. In doing so, we examined three research questions: 1. To what extent are academic, behavioral, socio-emotional, motivational, and cognitive student outcomes associated with teacher-student relationships in the meta-analytic literature? 2. Which moderators influence these associations? 3. What is the methodological quality of the included meta-analyses? Methodology After preregistration, a systematic literature search was conducted. During several screening rounds, we identified 24 appropriate meta-analyses that included approximately meta-analytic 130 effect sizes for over one million students. From these meta-analyses, we extracted effect sizes on the association between teacher-student relationships and academic, behavioral, socio-emotional, motivational, and general cognitive student characteristics. We summarized the results for research questions 1 and 2 and developed a narrative overview. For research question 3, we assessed the quality of the meta-analyses using the AMSTAR-2 scale (adapted to correlational studies in psychology and education research; Shea et al., 2017). Findings and their significance Looking at the teacher-student relationship aspect of school climate, a variety of outcome variables were analyzed. The strongest associations were shown for negative teacher-student relationships with student behavior problems (r = .35 bis .57; Nurmi, 2012). Positive teacher-student relationships showed the strongest association with school involvement (r = .26 bis .34; Roorda et al., 2011), prosocial, externalizing, and internalizing behaviors (r = .25; Endedijk et al., 2021), and learning motivation combined with student involvement (r = .23; Wang et al., 2020). Age and grade level were the most frequently examined moderators, with partially contradicting findings. Gender differences, on the other hand, were found less frequently. At the same time, an informant effect was frequently examined, that is, whether and in what ways teachers, student peers, or the students themselves rated the teacher-student relationship. For research question 3, we discuss differences in reporting and the quality range of meta-analyses. With this preregistered systematic review of meta-analyses, we summarize the research landscape on correlates of the teacher-student relationship aspect of school climate. Following our findings and the bioecological theory, teachers should be made aware of the impact of teacher-student relationships and how they could contribute to a positive school climate via relationship building. Some interventions to improve these important relationships have already been meta-analytically studied with promising results (Kincade et al., 2020). Next, we need experiments to causally confirm positive teacher-student relationships as an effective strategy for improving academic, behavioral, socio-emotional, motivational, and cognitive student outcomes and school climate at large. Finally, future research should structure the broad range of conceptualizations of teacher-student relationships and review the variety of theories to explain their impact on student outcomes. References Bronfenbrenner, U. (1979). The ecology of human development: Experiments by nature and design. Harvard university press. Cooper, H., & Koenka, A. C. (2012). The overview of reviews: Unique challenges and opportunities when research syntheses are the principal elements of new integrative scholarship. American Psychologist, 67(6), 446–462. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0027119 Endedijk, H. M., Breeman, L. D., van Lissa, C. J., Hendrickx, M. M. H. G., den Boer, L., & Mainhard, T. (2021). The Teacher’s Invisible Hand: A Meta-Analysis of the Relevance of Teacher–Student Relationship Quality for Peer Relationships and the Contribution of Student Behavior. Review of Educational Research, 003465432110514. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543211051428 Kincade, L., Cook, C., & Goerdt, A. (2020). Meta-Analysis and Common Practice Elements of Universal Approaches to Improving Student-Teacher Relationships. Review of Educational Research, 90(5), 710–748. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654320946836 Nurmi, J.-E. (2012). Students’ characteristics and teacher–child relationships in instruction: A meta-analysis. Educational Research Review, 7(3), 177–197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2012.03.001 Roorda, D. L., Koomen, H. M. Y., Spilt, J. L., & Oort, F. J. (2011). The Influence of Affective Teacher–Student Relationships on Students’ School Engagement and Achievement: A Meta-Analytic Approach. Review of Educational Research, 81(4), 493–529. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654311421793 Shea, B. J., Reeves, B. C., Wells, G., Thuku, M., Hamel, C., Moran, J., Moher, D., Tugwell, P., Welch, V., Kristjansson, E., & Henry, D. A. (2017). AMSTAR 2: A critical appraisal tool for systematic reviews that include randomised or non-randomised studies of healthcare interventions, or both. BMJ, j4008. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j4008 Vandenbroucke, L., Spilt, J., Verschueren, K., Piccinin, C., & Baeyens, D. (2018). The Classroom as a Developmental Context for Cognitive Development: A Meta-Analysis on the Importance of Teacher–Student Interactions for Children’s Executive Functions. Review of Educational Research, 88(1), 125–164. https://doi.org/10.3102/0034654317743200 Wang, M.-T., & Degol, J. L. (2016). School Climate: A Review of the Construct, Measurement, and Impact on Student Outcomes. Educational Psychology Review, 28(2), 315–352. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-015-9319-1 Wang, M.-T., L. Degol, J., Amemiya, J., Parr, A., & Guo, J. (2020). Classroom climate and children’s academic and psychological wellbeing: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Developmental Review, 57, 100912. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dr.2020.100912 [less ▲]

Teacher-Student Relationships in Education—What We Know and What We Don’t (Yet) Know [SYMPOSIUM]

Scientific Conference (2023, August 25)

Positive teacher-student relationships (TSR) are key to developing a good school climate in which both teachers and students can thrive. While existing research has brought to light the educational ... [more ▼]

Positive teacher-student relationships (TSR) are key to developing a good school climate in which both teachers and students can thrive. While existing research has brought to light the educational benefits of positive TSR, for instance, by showing that students in classrooms and schools with positive TSR tend to achieve better grades, the evidence base is scattered and lacks some key elements. Specifically, empirical studies on the benefits of positive TSR largely focused on academic achievement and less so on other, educationally relevant outcomes, such as socio-emotional skills, motivation, sense of belonging, or behavior. Moreover, TSR has often been conceptualized differently across studies, and its development in educational contexts has hardly been understood. This symposium aims to clarify some of these issues by presenting studies that (a) review the conceptualizations and definitions of TSR within the frameworks of school climate; (b) synthesize the evidence base on the relation between TSR and a broad range of educationally relevant outcomes; (c) identify longitudinal trajectories of TSR and their relation to student engagement; and (d) examine the potential of TSR to facilitate a positive error culture and student participation in classrooms. Ultimately, we provide an updated, scientific overview of the existing body of knowledge about the conceptualization and educational potential of TSR and its current gaps. This overview shall not only inform scholars in the field but shall also encourage teachers to strive for positive TSR. [less ▲]

Translanguaging stance of preschool teachers in Luxembourg

Presentation (2023, August 24)

In 2017, the new law declared multilingual education mandatory in Luxembourg where there are 65% of 4-year-old language minority children. To support 40 teachers with the new law requirement that asked ... [more ▼]

In 2017, the new law declared multilingual education mandatory in Luxembourg where there are 65% of 4-year-old language minority children. To support 40 teachers with the new law requirement that asked teachers to use children’s home languages in the classroom, we offered a 6-month professional development course in translanguaging pedagogy that builds on children’s full linguistic repertoire. Mixed methods were used such as focus groups, questionnaires, and video observations. Through pre- and post-course focus groups we identified three groups of teachers: (1) those with mild monolingual stance who believed that the most important is to develop children’s school language, Luxembourgish, (2) those with mild translanguaging stance who expressed that children’s home languages are important but can hinder children’s Luxembourgish, and (3) those with true translanguaging stance who believed that children’s home languages are necessary for their well-being and development of Luxembourgish. The questionnaires showed that there was a significant increase in teachers’ positive attitudes towards children’s home languages and translanguaging. However, in the video observations we identified both positive and negative examples in teacher-designed activities that, when compared to the focus groups and questionnaires results, seemed paradoxical but portrayed a fuller picture of preschool teachers’ translanguaging stance in Luxembourg. [less ▲]

Archiving the Web during unforeseen events (terrorist attacks, war...)

Scientific Conference (2023, August 24)

Web content and social networks are highly ephemeral and claim for fast reactions in case of disruptive events, in order to preserve them. As demonstrated with the Yugoslavian wars, national domains can ... [more ▼]

Web content and social networks are highly ephemeral and claim for fast reactions in case of disruptive events, in order to preserve them. As demonstrated with the Yugoslavian wars, national domains can disappear (Ben-David, 2016). Web archiving and the practice of collecting and preserving born digital content have been widely adopted by national libraries in Europe (in France, Great Britain, Luxembourg, Denmark and many other countries) since the 2000s (Brügger, 2018). These collections can take many forms, including annual crawls of a country's entire webosphere, as well as special collections created for specific foreseen events such as elections, or unforeseen events like terrorist attacks, natural disasters or sanitary crisis (i.e., the terrorist attacks in Paris in 2015-16, the COVID-19 crisis, etc.). Additionally, other stakeholders are involved in preserving digital traces, such as Documenting the Now for the Black Lives Matter movement and the Sucho initiative, launched at the very beginning of the Ukrainian war and that aims to save the online cultural heritage of Ukraine. This presentation will firs examine the processes and challenges involved in creating "live archives" (Rhodes, 2013; Rollasson & Reed, 2015) during times of tensions, disruption, attacks, and war. It will explore the unique features of these collections, relying on various case studies, such as the Paris Terrorist Attacks collection at the BnF (Bibliothèque nationale de France) and Ina (French Audio-visual institute) (Schafer et al. 2017), the approach of Documenting the Now (http://www.docnow.io) and Sucho (Saving Ukrainian Cultural Heritage Online, https://www.sucho.org), and international collaborations during the COVID-19 crisis (thanks to the International Internet Preservation Consortium, https://archive- it.org/collections/13529). The presentation will then examine the implications of these collections for researchers (and notably for historians), including issues of representativeness, scope, temporalities, noise and gaps, context, and metadata. [less ▲]

Multilingual Literacy Practices in Theory and Practice in Day care Centres in Luxembourg

Scientific Conference (2023, August 23)

Pathogenic paralogous variants can be used to apply the ACMG PS1 and PM5 variant interpretation criteria 2023.08.22.23294353

E-print/Working paper (2023)

Purpose The majority of missense variants in clinical genetic tests are classified as variants of uncertain significance. Broadening the evidence of the PS1 and PM5 criteria has the potential to increase ... [more ▼]

Purpose The majority of missense variants in clinical genetic tests are classified as variants of uncertain significance. Broadening the evidence of the PS1 and PM5 criteria has the potential to increase conclusive variant interpretation. Methods We hypothesized that incorporation of pathogenic missense variants in conserved residues across paralogous genes can increase the number of variants where ACMG PS1/PM5 criteria can be applied. We mapped over 2.5 million pathogenic and general population variants from ClinVar, HGMD, and gnomAD databases onto 9,990 genes and aligned these by gene families. Subsequently, we developed a novel framework to extend PS1/PM5 by incorporating pathogenic paralogous variants annotations (para-PS1/PM5). Results We demonstrate that para-PS1/PM5 criteria increase the number of classifiable amino acids 3.6-fold compared to PS1 and PM5. Across all gene families with at least two disease-associated genes, the calculated likelihood ratios suggest moderate evidence for pathogenicity. Moreover, for 36 genes, the extended para-PS1/PM5 criteria reach strong evidence level. Conclusion We show that single pathogenic paralogous variants incorporation at paralogous protein positions increases the applicability of the PS1 and PM5 criteria, likely leading to a reduction of variants of uncertain significance across many monogenic disorders. Future iterations of the ACMG guidelines may consider para-PS1 and para-PM5. [less ▲]

Early Childhood Education and Care in Luxembourg and Language: Performance Closing the Gap between different Language Backgrounds?

Scientific Conference (2023, August 21)

Achievement gaps between students of different family backgrounds have been found in many countries (e.g. Stanat & Christensen, 2006). They are not only based on socioeconomic status or immigration ... [more ▼]

Achievement gaps between students of different family backgrounds have been found in many countries (e.g. Stanat & Christensen, 2006). They are not only based on socioeconomic status or immigration background, but also on home language: If children do not speak the language of instruction at home, they are often disadvantaged in school and perform worse in school performance tests than students speaking the instruction language at home (e.g. Van Staden et al., 2016). Low SES increases the risk that children with an L2 instruction language are disadvantaged (Cummins, 2018). With rising numbers of global migration (Edmond, 2020), these disparities in educational systems can be expected to become more distinct in the future. Luxembourg is a trilingual country with an already highly diverse student population in terms of nationality and language background, with 67 % of elementary school students not speaking the first instruction language Luxembourgish at home (MENJE & SCRIPT, 2022). It is therefore a prime example to study these educational challenges ahead of time. In addition to the “super-diversity” of Luxembourg, students of different language backgrounds have to deal with a highly demanding language curriculum at school, in which the instruction language switches first from Luxembourgish to German and then to French in secondary education. In consequence, many students face challenges in acquiring language and literacy skills (e.g. Hornung et al., 2021) – leading to distinct gaps between students of different language backgrounds. One possible way to decrease such disparities might be an early and extensive participation in early childhood education and care (ECEC). Participation in ECEC, that is “any regulated arrangement that provides education and care to children from birth to compulsory primary school age” (European Commission, n.d.), has been shown to have positive effects on language development and other cognitive abilities. These effects differ between age groups. For young children from age 0 to 3, a Norwegian study found that scaling up early ECEC improved early language skills at the age of seven (Drange & Havnes, 2015). However, a review also indicated research on this age group was scarcer and produced more varied findings (Melhuish et al., 2015). For children between the ages 3 and 6, effects on language and other cognitive skills were more consistently positive (Melhuish et al., 2015). In children with differing home language backgrounds, this association was stronger than in those who spoke the majority language at home (Ansari et al., 2021). This study aims to investigate if these findings hold in the multilingual and diverse school context of Luxembourg and to analyze the effects of ECEC attendance on language performance, differentiated by the student’s home language background and the particular type of ECEC (non-formal daycare vs formal early education). Based on the presented literature, we hypothesize that (1) participation in ECEC, formal and nonformal, is associated with higher listening comprehension in Luxembourgish (i.e. the first instruction language) in grade 1, that (2) the associations are moderated by the children home language background where greater associations are expected for children who do not speak the instruction language at home and that (3) participation in formal ECEC explains more variance than participation in nonformal ECEC. Methodology, Methods, Research Instruments or Sources Used To answer our research questions, we draw on a large-scale dataset of n = 5.952 first graders from the Luxemburg school monitoring programme ÉpStan (Épreuves Standardisées) in 2021. The ÉpStan includes questionnaires and written competence tests in key school areas that are implemented every year for all Luxembourgish students in grades 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9. Its aim is a.o. to objectively assess the long-term performance of the Luxembourgish school system. For our study, we focus on Luxembourg listening comprehension in grade 1, which is assessed with different text formats, such as dialogues, short stories or radio broadcasts presented on CDs. The test is measuring different sub-skills, defined by the national curriculum, such as understanding one’s interlocutor, locating, understanding and interpreting information, and applying listening strategies (recognition of noises and voices). Information on ECEC participation is assessed retrospectively in parent questionnaires for crèches (non-formal ECEC targeted at 0-4 year olds) and for précoce (formal ECEC, targeted at 3 year olds). Home language background is assessed by self-report in the student questionnaire and categorised into five groups: a) Luxembourgish, b) French, c) Portuguese, d) bilingual Luxembourgish / French and e) bilingual Luxembourgish / Portuguese. After checking whether the prerequisites for the analyses are met, we calculate a multivariate regression model with the two ECEC types as binary predictors and other family background variables as control for hypothesis (1). For hypothesis (2), we test whether home language background moderates the association between ECEC and language performance by adding interaction terms of home language group with each ECEC type to our regression model. For hypothesis (3), we compare the incremental variance explained by each ECEC type. Conclusions, Expected Outcomes or Findings We expect our outcomes to show that attendance in both ECEC types have positive associations with Luxembourgish listening comprehension in first grade, in line with many findings on the topic. Additionally, attendance in formal ECEC is expected to explain more variance in Luxembourgish listening comprehension than attendance in nonformal ECEC as Luxembourgish is the main instruction language in formal ECEC. In nonformal ECEC institutions, language policies are usually less rigid and more plurilingual. We also expect significant moderations of this effect by home language background: We do not expect a strong effect of both formal and nonformal ECEC on listening comprehension for children who speak only Luxembourgish at home, as they are expected to have developed these skills at home. Children who do not speak Luxembourgish at home are, on the other hand, expected to benefit more from ECEC attendance. This would then indicate that more time spent in ECEC institutions fostered their basic skills in the instruction language and helped gain better listening performance. Being competent in the instruction language is essential for further learning. Without the language skills, children are unable to connect to the school’s input (Schleppegrell, 2001). All in all, the findings might help to understand the effects of two different ECEC types in Luxembourg for children of different language backgrounds – indicating for whom ECEC attendance should be explicitly encouraged. It might also give us valuable hints towards characteristics of ECEC that are especially helpful to further language skills and thus, later school performance. Implications on possible policy decisions with the goal of closing achievement gaps and furthering educational equality will be discussed. References Ansari, A., Pianta, R. C., Whittaker, J. E., Vitiello, V., & Ruzek, E. (2021). Enrollment in public-prekindergarten and school readiness skills at kindergarten entry: Differential associations by home language, income, and program characteristics. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 54, 60–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2020.07.011 Cummins, J. (2018). Urban Multilingualism and Educational Achievement: Identifying and Implementing Evidence-Based Strategies for School Improvement. In P. Van Avermaet, S. Slembrouck, K. Van Gorp, S. Sierens, & K. Maryns (Eds.), The Multilingual Edge of Education (p. 67–90). Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-54856-6_4 Drange, N., & Havnes, T. (2015). Child Care Before Age Two and the Development of Language and Numeracy: Evidence from a Lottery. Discussion Papers. Statistics Norway. Research Department., 808. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2582539 Edmond, C. (2020, January 10). Global migration, by the numbers. World Economic Forum. https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/01/iom-global-migration-report-international-migrants-2020/ European Commission. (n.d.). Early childhood education and care initiatives. Retrieved 23rd May 2022, from https://education.ec.europa.eu/node/1702 Hornung, C., Wollschläger, R., Keller, U., Esch, P., Muller, C., & Fischbach, A. (2021). Neue längsschnittliche Befunde aus dem nationalen Bildungsmonitoring ÉpStan in der 1. und 3. Klasse. Negativer Trend in der Kompetenzentwicklung und kein Erfolg bei Klassenwiederholungen. In LUCET & SCRIPT (Eds.), Nationaler Bildungsbericht Luxemburg 2021 (p. 44–55). LUCET & SCRIPT. Melhuish, E., Ereky-Stevens, K., Petrogiannis, K., Ariescu, A., Penderi, E., Rentzou, K., Tawell, A., Leseman, P., & Broekhuisen, M. (2015). A review of research on the effects of early childhood education and care (ECEC) on child development [Technical Report.]. MENJE & SCRIPT. (2022). Education system in Luxembourg. Key Figures. edustat.lu Schleppegrell, M. J. (2001). Linguistic Features of the Language of Schooling. Linguistics and Education, 12(4), 431–459. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0898-5898(01)00073-0 Stanat, P., & Christensen, G. (2006). Where Immigrant Students Succeed—A Comparative Review of Performance and Engagement in PISA 2003. https://www.oecd.org/education/school/programmeforinternationalstudentassessmentpisa/whereimmigrantstudentssucceed-acomparativereviewofperformanceandengagementinpisa2003.htm Van Staden, S., Bosker, R., & Bergbauer, A. (2016). Differences in achievement between home language and language of learning in South Africa: Evidence from prePIRLS 2011. South African Journal of Childhood Education, 6(1), 10. https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v6i1.441 [less ▲]