Much recent research has focused on the relation between spatial skills and mathematical skills, which has resulted in widely reported links between these two skill sets. However, the magnitude of ...this relation is unclear. Furthermore, it is of interest whether this relation differs in size based on key demographic variables, such as gender and grade-level, and the extent to which this relation can be accounted for by shared domain-general reasoning skills across the two domains. Here we present the results of two meta-analytic studies synthesizing the findings from 45 articles to identify the magnitude of the relation, as well as potential moderators and mediators. The first meta-analysis employed correlated and hierarchical effects meta-regression models to examine the magnitude of the relation between spatial and mathematical skills, and to understand the effect of gender and grade-level on the association. The second meta-analysis employed meta-analytic structural equation modeling to determine how domain-general reasoning skills, specifically fluid reasoning and verbal skills, influence the relationship. Results revealed a positive moderate association between spatial and mathematical skills (
r
= .36, robust standard error = 0.035, τ
2
= 0.039). However, no significant effect of gender or grade-level on the association was found. Additionally, we found that fluid reasoning and verbal skills mediated the relationship between spatial skills and mathematical skills, but a unique relation between the spatial and mathematical skills remained. Implications of these findings include advancing our understanding for how to leverage and bolster students’ spatial skills as a mechanism for improving mathematical outcomes.
We use administrative data (
) on Finnish individuals who started university studies between 1991 and 2015 to explore whether mathematics and Finnish scores in upper secondary school matriculation ...examinations are related to university performance. We find that mathematical and verbal skills are complementary in predicting university course completions and grades.
This paper analyses disparities in learning outcomes among primary school students in Bangladesh associated with different background characteristics. The result of the study reveals that there is a ...clear disparity between the students from the poorest and richest households in achieving different learning skills while this gap increases over the primary school years. Moreover, there is a significant learning gap associated with parents' education, parents' awareness, and the overage status of the students, which continues to persist over the primary school years. However, we did not find any significant learning gap between male and female students. Finally, the study points to a regional disparity where the students from urban areas outperform their rural counterparts.
•Disparities in learning outcomes among the primary school students in Bangladesh have been analysed.•The learning gap associated with wealth continues to grow over the learning trajectory of primary school years.•The overaged children performed significantly worse than those who are not overaged.•There is a spatial divide in achieving different learning skills.
The Chinese version of the Communication Complexity Scale was developed through a rigorous cultural adaptation process.
The evidence shows that the Chinese version of the Communication Complexity ...Scale is a reliable and valid tool for children with minimal verbal skills in China.
The Chinese version of the Communication Complexity Scale can be used in research and clinical practice to assess the general level of social communication skills of Chinese children who mainly communicate using preverbal communication and develop intervention programs.
This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the translated Chinese version of the Communication Complexity Scale (C-CCS) in a Chinese sample of preschool-aged children with minimal verbal skills.
A total of 120 children with autism spectrum disorders or children with developmental delays aged 2 to 5 years with minimal verbal skills (i.e., produced less than 20 functional words) were recruited to complete the C-CCS. First, we tested the protocol with 20 children and shortened it based on their results. Second, the interrater reliability, test-retest reliability, and concurrent validity for 100 participants were examined. C-CCS scores were compared with scores from the Chinese Communicative Development Inventories (CCDI) for concurrent validity.
Ten C-CCS interactive scripts were administered to 100 participants. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) between independent observers were high. The ICCs for overall optimal scores, optimal BR scores and optimal JA scores were 0.978, 0.971 and 0.977 respectively. Agreement for scores within scripted opportunities and communication level were high-Kappa coefficients 0.869 and 1.000 respectively. The test-retest reliability was high (r = 0.911). A moderate correlation was found between the C-CCS and the CCDI (r = 0.401).
The results indicate that C-CCS could be used as a measurement tool in research and clinical practice to describe communication levels in children with minimal verbal skills in China.
Studies of the effects of L1 glossing on L2 reading comprehension have shown varying results. The present meta-analytic study provides an update of the research of CALL glossing studies and examines ...key variables related to how CALL glossing can be effective. Findings revealed an overall effect size of .84, which suggests that most readers with CALL glosses should comprehend L2 text more effectively than students without CALL glosses. The present study also found that both productive and receptive tests can be effective in measuring L2 reading comprehension, large amounts of CALL glossing do not necessarily effectively facilitate L2 reading comprehension, and textual glossing with pictures may be the most effective means of CALL glossing.
•Mathematics skills at age 4 do not predict mathematics skills at age 7.•Verbal skills at age 6 account for a quarter of the variance in mathematics skills at age 7.•Stimulating parenting as early as ...at age 3 substantially but indirectly contributed to the mathematics skills at age 7.•Learning materials play a key role in supporting the development of mathematics skills.
This study investigated the unique contributions of mothers’ stimulating parenting practices and children’s verbal skills throughout early childhood to the prediction of their mathematics skills at age 7, using data from a 5-year longitudinal study of a nationally representative cohort of 3-year-old children in Turkey (N = 1,052, 55.4 % male). Structural models were estimated and systematically tested in order to arrive at a parsimonious model including children’s initial verbal and mathematics skills, and stimulating parenting behaviors throughout early childhood. Broadly defined stimulating parenting at ages 3, 4, and 5 had substantial continuity, nevertheless uniquely and significantly predicted the mathematics skills at age 7. The predictive associations of stimulating parenting with children’s mathematics skills at age 7 were mediated by the children’s verbal skills at age 6. The contributions of specific stimulating parenting behaviors and specific verbal skills to early elementary mathematics skills were discussed.
There are few studies on late-adopted adolescents' outcomes -e.g., emotional-behavioral problems, attachment and cognitive status- and their possible predictive factors, none from Italy. Objective: ...This paper aimed to investigate emotional-behavioral problems, attachment representations, and verbal skills in late-adopted adolescents in Italy and to explore the predictive role of pre-adoption adversities and adoption variables for worse adoptees' outcomes.
The study included N = 79 late-adopted (mean age at adoption = 6 years) adolescents, between 11 and 18 years, placed via both intercountry and domestic adoption.
Parents provided information about pre-adoption and adoption history and filled the Children's Behavior Checklist 6–18 for measuring participants' emotional-behavioral problems. Attachment representations were assessed through the Friend and Family Interview administered directly to adolescents, like the verbal comprehension index of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (4th edition) for measuring participants' verbal IQ.
Maltreatment and its interaction with multiple placements were the main predictors of other problems—i.e., social, thought, and identity difficulties (respectively, p = .007 and p = .029)—while intercountry adoption was the unique predictor of both externalizing and total problems (respectively, p = .047 and p = .015). However, domestic adoption was the most important predictor both for higher insecurity and disorganized attachment representations and lower verbal skills (all p < .044); even stronger if domestic adoption interacted with pre-adoptive institutionalization.
Pre-adoption adversities as well as domestic vs. intercountry adoption, but not the age at placement, contributed to adolescent adoptees' developmental outcomes.
We examine the impact of fine particulate matter pollution on upper secondary school matriculation exams in Finland. Considering the subject-specific abilities of exam takers, we observe that fine ...particulate matter exposure influences performance in mathematical but not in verbal subjects.
•Ambient PM2.5 air pollution deteriorates student performance in Finland.•We employ individual fixed effect model to provide empirical evidence.•The impact of PM2.5 is detrimental to mathematical subjects, with no effect on verbal subjects.
Cochlear implant (CI) is commonly used as one of the interventions in auditory neuropathy (AN) children. However, there are limited studies regarding the efficiency of CI in AN children.
This study ...aimed to compare the auditory and verbal skills development between the AN and typically developing (TD) children with CI.
The follow-up study compared the post-CI scores of questionnaires of AN and TD children about auditory and verbal skills development at 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 12, and 18 months of CI use.
The results of auditory perception in AN and TD groups showed a significant improvement after first 3 months. Furthermore, the score was significantly lower in AN group after 18 months of CI use. The results of verbal skills in AN group showed a progressive trend after 9 months of CI use. Besides, the scores were significantly lower in AN group after 12 months of CI use.
The auditory perception development in AN children with CI was rapidly improved during first 3 months, and verbal skills showed a trend of improvement after 9 months of CI use. However, the differences in auditory and verbal skills between AN and TD groups increased over time.
