Early predictors of mathematics learning difficulty in rural Chinese children
Mathematics learning difficulty (MLD) can be manifested in the early years of primary school, yet its early indicators remain largely unexplored, particularly in the context of rural children. This study sought to address this gap by investigating the early predictors of MLD in rural Chinese children. The first wave of assessments conducted on 106 rural preschoolers (aged 40–60 months) encompassed IQ, spatial skills, short-term and working memory, visual attention, and vocabulary. Two years later, in Grade 1, their mathematics achievement was assessed, leading to the identification of 26 children with MLD (25 % percentile cut-off). After adjusting for age, it was found that children with MLD scored lower on preschool measures of spatial skills and visual attention compared to their typically achieving peers. Logistic regression analyses further revealed that lower preschool visual attention scores were indicative of a higher MLD probability in Grade 1. Also, a longer duration of boarding preschool attendance was associated with a lower MLD probability. This study thus provides novel insights into early cognitive and contextual factors that contribute to the later identification of MLD in rural Chinese children.
Summary: Early behavioral and contextual markers predict subsequent mathematics learning difficulty for rural children.