ERIC Number: EJ1403802
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0009-3920
EISSN: EISSN-1467-8624
How Do Socioeconomic Attainment Gaps in Early Mathematical Ability Arise?
James-Brabham, Ella; Loveridge, Toni; Sella, Francesco; Wakeling, Paul; Carroll, Daniel J.; Blakey, Emma
Child Development, v94 n6 p1550-1565 2023
Socioeconomic attainment gaps in mathematical ability are evident before children begin school, and widen over time. Little is known about why early attainment gaps emerge. Two cross-sectional correlational studies were conducted in 2018-2019 with socioeconomically diverse preschoolers, to explore four factors that might explain why attainment gaps arise: working memory, inhibitory control, verbal ability, and frequency of home mathematical activities (N = 304, 54% female; 84% White, 10% Asian, 1% black African, 1% Kurdish, 4% mixed ethnicity). Inhibitory control and verbal ability emerged as indirect factors in the relation between socioeconomic status and mathematical ability, but neither working memory nor home activities did. We discuss the implications this has for future research to understand, and work towards narrowing attainment gaps.
Descriptors: Mathematics Skills, Achievement Gap, Socioeconomic Status, Preschool Children, Short Term Memory, Inhibition, Verbal Ability, Mathematics Activities, Family Environment, Early Childhood Education
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2191/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Data File: URL: https://osf.io/buphv/?view_only=4ec18e3ae6584ae0b77badbb408a9514