Motor Coordination and Executive Functions as Early Predictors of Reading and Spelling Acquisition

ABSTRACT

The role of motor coordination and executive functions in kindergarten for reading/spelling in 1st/2nd grade was examined in the light of other domain-general predictors. N = 173 children were included in the final analyses. A structural equation model with motor coordination, fluid intelligence, age and self-concept as predictors of reading/spelling fitted well. When EF were included, motor coordination and fluid intelligence were not associated with reading/spelling performance. A final model with EF, age and self-concept fitted best. Findings indicate an important role of EF for the development of reading and spelling and for the link between motor coordination and reading/spelling.

Notes

1. Children with motor coordination difficulties were overrepresented in the initial sample. However, only six children scored below the 5th percentile of the Movement ABC-2 score at t3, suggesting that children with motor coordination impairments were not overrepresented in the final sample.

2. N = 6 children had 0% accuracy in the mixed Flanker task (n = 2 children in the standard Flanker task). N = 19 children received a score of 0 in the Corsi Blocks backwards task. Except from two children, these children had t-scores of higher than 40 in the color span backwards task, indicating no general EF problems.

3. Regarding sample size, Iacobucci (2010) stated that when the model is not overly complex, the expected effects sizes are large and the variables are reliable, rather small sample sizes would be sufficient. N = 150 seems appropriate when the model has three or more indicators per factor (Anderson & Gerbing, 1984).

Additional information

Funding

This project was financially supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft [MI 1717/1-1].