Cross-domain associations of key cognitive correlates of early reading and early arithmetic in 5-year-olds

Abstract

Disabilities in reading and arithmetic often co-occur, but (dis)abilities in reading and arithmetic have mostly been studied in isolation from each other. This study explicitly focused on the co-development of early reading and early arithmetic before primary education. The Multiple Deficit Model was used as theoretical framework (Pennington, 2006). According to this model, the overlap between early reading and early arithmetic is due to a constellation of shared and unique cognitive correlates. Therefore, we investigated whether key cognitive correlates of one academic ability also correlate with the other. Participants were 188 five-year-old kindergartners who had not yet been formally instructed in reading and arithmetic. Phonological awareness was selected as reading-specific cognitive correlate and (non)symbolic numerical magnitude processing and numeral recognition were considered as arithmetic-specific cognitive correlates. We administered a productive letter knowledge task as a proxy of early reading. Early arithmetic was assessed with simple problems such as 2 + 3 =?. Regression analyses and Bayesian hypothesis testing revealed significant correlations between early reading and early arithmetic before children start primary education. Phonological awareness predicted not only early reading but also, early arithmetic, even when controlling for early reading and arithmetic-specific cognitive correlates. Likewise, numeral recognition predicted not only early arithmetic, but also early reading, even when controlling for early arithmetic and phonological awareness. Phonological awareness and numeral recognition can be considered shared cognitive correlates of both academic domains. In contrast, non-symbolic and symbolic numerical magnitude processing skills were specifically correlated to early arithmetic, and not to early reading, indicating that they are unique to only one academic domain. In line with the Multiple Deficit Model, our data suggest that early reading and early arithmetic have a shared as well as unique underlying cognitive basis. Further unravelling what these academic abilities have in common can be of high value for detecting children at risk already before their transition to formal primary education.

Comorbidity Between Math and Reading Problems: Is Phonological Processing a Mutual Factor?

“…Furthermore, a recent concurrent study of 5-year-old kindergarteners ( N = 188) also suggests that phonological awareness is related to early arithmetic (Vanbinst et al, 2020 ). The main finding was that phonological awareness was related not only to early reading but also to early arithmetic.…”

“…Koponen et al ( 2019 ) controlled for various memory-related variables but not verbal and nonverbal abilities, while Cirino et al ( 2018 ) controlled for processing speed, visuospatial working memory, and nonverbal abilities. As for the concurrent studies, Child et al ( 2019 ) controlled for working memory and processing speed; Vanbinst et al ( 2020 ) controlled for nonverbal abilities; and Singer et al ( 2019 ) controlled for both verbal and nonverbal abilities. Regarding those studies that did not find a relationship between phonological awareness and arithmetic, Purpura et al ( 2011 ) controlled for nonverbal intelligence, while Moll et al ( 2015 ) controlled for both verbal and nonverbal abilities.…”

Validation of an Early Numeracy Screener for First Graders

“…Vanbinst, Van Bergen, Ghesquière and De Smedt (2020) investigated the co-development of early reading skills and mathematical skills, and their results conveyed significant correlations between early reading and early mathematics before children have formal instructions in school. Findings from this study displayed that phonological awareness predicted early reading and also early mathematics even after controlling for age, IQ, nonsymbolic and symbolic magnitude processing and early arithmetic (Vanbinst et al, 2020), which might indicate shared cognitive foundation of both reading and mathematical domains.…”

Bridging Educational Priorities with Developmental Priorities: Towards a Developmental Theory of Instruction

“…Recently, recent research showed that phonological awareness predicted both early reading and early arithmetic; inversely, numerical recognition predicted performance in both domains (Vanbinst, van Bergen, Ghesquière, & De Smedt, 2020). This pattern suggests that the critical factor is representational awareness in general rather than awareness about a specific notational system.…”

“…Additionally, these processes are needed to carry on the representational integration required for learning the two central subjects in early primary school, namely reading and arithmetic learning. There is extensive research showing that inhibitory control, flexibility in shifting, and representational awareness, including phonological and numerical awareness, at preschool, account for learning to read and do arithmetic in primary school (Chung & Ho, 2010;Clark, Pritchard, & Woodward, 2010;Vanbinst, van Bergen, Ghesquière, & De Smedt, 2020).…”