Factors influencing interdependencies among mathematics, reading, and spelling skills in young elementary school children

The present study investigated whether a group of children with co-occurring deficiencies in calculation and reading/spelling skills exists apart from children with isolated deficiencies in only one of these fields. Of special interest was the performance of these different groups on various cognitive basic skills. A sample of 115 first graders were given tests of math skills, reading, spelling, memory performance, attention, counting performance, and phonological awareness. By means of a cluster analysis, four groups of children were identified: Whereas one group performed well on mathematics and reading/spelling, a second group showed deficiencies in both domains and at the same time a general underachievement in cognitive basic skills, A third group performed below average only on mathematics and had particular attentional problems. The fourth group showed isolated reading/spelling problems and deficiencies in the field of phonological awareness and memory performance.