Influences of reading skills in mathematics achievement: A moderated mediation model

IF 3.1 1区教育学 Q1 EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH

Early Childhood Research Quarterly Pub Date : 2025-10-09 DOI:10.1016/j.ecresq.2025.10.001

Isabelle Chang

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Abstract

This study examined the conditional direct and indirect effects of kindergarten math skills on fifth-grade math achievement varying at levels of kindergarten reading proficiency. Participants were 18,174 kindergartners in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2010–2011. Results show that kindergarten math skills had stronger direct effects on fifth-grade math achievement than kindergarten reading skills. There were unequal effects of kindergarten math skills on fifth-grade math achievement depending on the levels of kindergarten reading skills in that the effects were more pronounced for those with weaker kindergarten reading proficiency and diminished as reading skills advanced. The effects of kindergarten math skills on fifth-grade math achievement were through working memory, and the mediating effects were uneven across different kindergarten reading skills but stronger for children with weaker kindergarten reading skills. Therefore, less proficient readers in fall kindergarten exerted more from spring kindergarten math and working memory when addressing fifth-grade math problems. Findings suggest that the effects of kindergarten math skills on fifth-grade math success were not uniform across different levels of kindergarten reading skills and reading held a critical role in math success. Future studies should explore whether there are disproportionate effects of initial math skills on later math achievement varying by racial and socioeconomic backgrounds resulting in math disparities. Intervention programs intended to improve math performance to narrow the racial and socioeconomic disparities should include reading comprehension and reasoning.

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阅读技能对数学成绩的影响：一个有调节的中介模型

本研究考察了幼儿园数学技能对五年级数学成绩的条件直接和间接影响。研究对象为2010-2011年幼儿园班的18174名幼儿。结果表明，幼儿园数学技能对五年级学生数学成绩的直接影响强于幼儿园阅读技能。幼儿园数学技能对五年级数学成绩的影响不平等，取决于幼儿园阅读技能水平，对幼儿园阅读能力较弱的儿童的影响更为明显，随着阅读技能的提高而减弱。幼儿园数学技能对五年级数学成绩的影响是通过工作记忆实现的，不同幼儿园阅读技能对五年级数学成绩的中介作用不均衡，对阅读技能较弱的幼儿的中介作用较强。因此，秋季幼儿园的低熟练读者在解决五年级数学问题时更多地使用春季幼儿园的数学和工作记忆。研究结果表明，幼儿园数学技能对五年级数学成功的影响在不同水平的幼儿园阅读技能之间并不均匀，阅读在数学成功中起着关键作用。未来的研究应探讨是否有不成比例的影响，最初的数学技能对后来的数学成绩因种族和社会经济背景的不同而不同，导致数学差异。旨在提高数学成绩以缩小种族和社会经济差异的干预计划应该包括阅读理解和推理。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Early Childhood Research Quarterly Multiple-

CiteScore

7.00

自引率

8.10%

发文量

109

期刊介绍： For over twenty years, Early Childhood Research Quarterly (ECRQ) has influenced the field of early childhood education and development through the publication of empirical research that meets the highest standards of scholarly and practical significance. ECRQ publishes predominantly empirical research (quantitative or qualitative methods) on issues of interest to early childhood development, theory, and educational practice (Birth through 8 years of age). The journal also occasionally publishes practitioner and/or policy perspectives, book reviews, and significant reviews of research. As an applied journal, we are interested in work that has social, policy, and educational relevance and implications and work that strengthens links between research and practice.