| Title: |
Language Predictors of Word-Problem Performance among Third-Grade Students with Mathematics Difficulty |
| Language: |
English |
| Authors: |
Danielle O. Lariviere (ORCID 0000-0002-6170-4701); Sarah R. Powell (ORCID 0000-0002-6424-6160); Anna-Maria Fall; Greg Roberts; Tessa L. Arsenault |
| Source: |
Journal of Learning Disabilities. 2025 58(6):445-458. |
| Availability: |
SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com |
| Peer Reviewed: |
Y |
| Page Count: |
14 |
| Publication Date: |
2025 |
| Sponsoring Agency: |
Institute of Education Sciences (ED) |
| Contract Number: |
R324A150078 |
| Document Type: |
Journal Articles; Reports - Research |
| Education Level: |
Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education; Grade 3; Primary Education |
| Descriptors: |
Language Skills; Word Problems (Mathematics); Grade 3; Elementary School Students; Predictor Variables; Learning Problems; Reading Comprehension; Vocabulary; Reading Skills; Accuracy; English Learners; Bilingual Students; Computation |
| Geographic Terms: |
Texas |
| Assessment and Survey Identifiers: |
Wide Range Achievement Test; Woodcock Johnson Tests of Achievement; Wechsler Abbreviated Scale of Intelligence; Texas English Language Proficiency Assessment System (TELPAS) |
| DOI: |
10.1177/00222194241311979 |
| ISSN: |
0022-2194; 1538-4780 |
| Abstract: |
We examined how generalized and mathematics-specific language skills predicted the word-problem performance of students with mathematics difficulty. Participants were 325 third-grade students in the southwestern United States who performed at or below the 25th percentile on a word-problem measure. We assessed generalized language skills in word reading, passage comprehension, and vocabulary knowledge. In addition, we measured mathematics-specific vocabulary knowledge. To explore variation within the mathematics-difficulty population, we utilized unconditional quantile regression to determine how each of these skill sets predicted word-problem performance when controlling for computation and emergent bilingual status. Results revealed that mathematics-vocabulary knowledge significantly predicted word-problem performance at all but two quantiles (p < 0.001), with strongest predictive relations at the highest quantiles. Passage comprehension had an overall significant relation to word-problem performance (p < 0.05) that was also reflected in multiple quantiles. Neither word-reading accuracy nor generalized-vocabulary knowledge demonstrated a significant predictive relation to word-problem performance. Given the consistent relation between mathematics-vocabulary knowledge and word-problem performance across quantiles, researchers and practitioners should prioritize evidence-based mathematics-vocabulary instruction to support students' word-problem-solving skills. |
| Abstractor: |
As Provided |
| IES Funded: |
Yes |
| Entry Date: |
2025 |
| Accession Number: |
EJ1488652 |
| Database: |
ERIC |