TY - JOUR
T1 - Reading and Mathematics
T2 - Two Sides, Same Coin?
AU - Reigosa-Crespo, Vivian
AU - de León, Patricia Ponce
AU - Herrero, Ainara
AU - Cuadro, Ariel
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 Canadian Psychological Association
PY - 2024
Y1 - 2024
N2 - Word problem-solving (WPS) in mathematics and reading comprehension (RC) are essential to academic literacy. Previous studies suggest that WPS and RC involve common processes related to number and word processing. However, the nature of these connections is not yet fully understood. In this study, we examined the influence of reading and calculation fluency on the development of WPS and RC by conducting two longitudinal studies (L1 and L2) with children entering first grade in 2019 and 2018, respectively. Significant associations were found between reading fluency and RC, as well as between addition and subtraction fluency and WPS. In general, those correlations were higher (L1:.60–.74; L2:.55–.82) than correlations between reading and mathematics measures (L1:.30–.57; L2:.34–.54) suggesting patterns of overlap between different underlying more specific processes. Hierarchical regressions were computed to test the unique contribution of each predictor to the variance in WPS and RC when the other predictors were controlled. Addition and subtraction fluency significantly explained 6% and 4% of the individual variability in WPS in L1. Addition fluency also explained 20% of the variance in WPS in L2, whereas subtraction fluency did not. Moreover, reading fluency did not show a unique contribution to individual variability in WPS. On the contrary, reading fluency contributed uniquely to variance in RC in L1 (16%) and L2 (17%), while addition and subtraction fluency did not. Considering these findings, the controversy over the specificity of learning disabilities in mathematics and reading is revised, and practical implications are discussed.
AB - Word problem-solving (WPS) in mathematics and reading comprehension (RC) are essential to academic literacy. Previous studies suggest that WPS and RC involve common processes related to number and word processing. However, the nature of these connections is not yet fully understood. In this study, we examined the influence of reading and calculation fluency on the development of WPS and RC by conducting two longitudinal studies (L1 and L2) with children entering first grade in 2019 and 2018, respectively. Significant associations were found between reading fluency and RC, as well as between addition and subtraction fluency and WPS. In general, those correlations were higher (L1:.60–.74; L2:.55–.82) than correlations between reading and mathematics measures (L1:.30–.57; L2:.34–.54) suggesting patterns of overlap between different underlying more specific processes. Hierarchical regressions were computed to test the unique contribution of each predictor to the variance in WPS and RC when the other predictors were controlled. Addition and subtraction fluency significantly explained 6% and 4% of the individual variability in WPS in L1. Addition fluency also explained 20% of the variance in WPS in L2, whereas subtraction fluency did not. Moreover, reading fluency did not show a unique contribution to individual variability in WPS. On the contrary, reading fluency contributed uniquely to variance in RC in L1 (16%) and L2 (17%), while addition and subtraction fluency did not. Considering these findings, the controversy over the specificity of learning disabilities in mathematics and reading is revised, and practical implications are discussed.
KW - calculation fluency
KW - compréhension de la lecture
KW - longitudinal study
KW - maîtrise de la lecture
KW - maîtrise du calcul
KW - reading comprehension
KW - reading fluency
KW - résolution de problèmes à l’aide de mots
KW - word problem-solving
KW - étude longitudinale
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85214467190&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1037/cep0000354
DO - 10.1037/cep0000354
M3 - Artículo
AN - SCOPUS:85214467190
SN - 1196-1961
JO - Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology
JF - Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology
ER -