Direct and indirect paths from linguistic skills to arithmetic school performance.

Abstract

In the present study, we explored how linguistic skills (phonological and semantic) influence the multiple components of school arithmetic (numeration, computation, and word problems) by analyzing them sequentially. We studied a sample of 262 schoolchildren, aged 8 to 11, nested in 27 classrooms, using the following measures: semantic skills, phonological skills, numeration, computation, word problems, visuospatial reasoning, and working memory. On the basis of a multilevel path analysis, we found that phonological and semantic skills predict each arithmetic component differently and independently. Phonological skills displayed a direct effect on computation and an indirect effect on word problems, mediated by computation. On the other hand, semantic skills showed a direct effect on numeration and word problems and an indirect effect on computation, mediated by numeration, as well as on word problems, mediated by numeration and computation.

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

“…However, only one previous study has examined whether there are differential effects for different types of arithmetic types. This study found a relationship between phonological awareness and addition/subtraction fluency, but not with number knowledge or word problems (Singer et al, 2019 ). This distinction is potentially significant because it implies that the general language ability required for word problem-solving is separate from the phonological processes involved in efficient arithmetic fact retrieval.…”

“…No other studies have examined differential effects on arithmetic accuracy vs. fluency; the two previous longitudinal studies had both types of tasks mixed in a latent variable. Among the concurrent studies, one had fluency tasks and found a relationship (Singer et al, 2019 ), and the other had accuracy tasks and found a relationship (Vanbinst et al, 2020 ).…”

“…The relationship notably remained after controlling for early reading- and arithmetic-specific cognitive correlates. Finally, Singer et al ( 2019 ) also found, using concurrent data on children aged 9–11 years ( N = 262), that phonological awareness was uniquely related to simple arithmetic fluency computations.…”

“…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.…”

Table_3.docx

“…However, only one previous study has examined whether there are differential effects for different types of arithmetic types. This study found a relationship between phonological awareness and addition/subtraction fluency, but not with number knowledge or word problems (Singer et al, 2019). This distinction is potentially significant because it implies that the general language ability required for word problemsolving is separate from the phonological processes involved in efficient arithmetic fact retrieval.…”