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Distinct Cognitive Linguistic Profiles in Struggling Elementary School Learners
Lagus S, Befi-Lopes DM ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This study identifies three distinct cognitive-linguistic profiles among elementary school children with low academic achievement in reading and writing. The research uses standardized assessments to classify struggling learners based on their semantic, phonological, memory, and executive function abilities. The findings suggest that similar poor academic outcomes can result from different underlying cognitive mechanisms, supporting the use of profile-based approaches to assessment and intervention.
Key points
- Three distinct learning profiles were identified among struggling readers: one with preserved semantic and phonological skills but persistent academic difficulties; one with phonological awareness and working memory weaknesses; and one with combined semantic and phonological impairments linked to br
- The study uses a multidimensional framework integrating linguistic and neurocognitive domains rather than focusing on academic outcomes alone
- Similar academic outcomes can arise from functionally distinct cognitive-linguistic pathways
Limitations
The document does not specify the country or cultural context where the study was conducted, the sample size, demographic characteristics of participants, or whether findings have been validated in other populations. It is unclear whether the identified profiles translate into differential treatment recommendations or improved outcomes.
Abstract
Abstract Low academic achievement in reading and writing reflects substantial variability in underlying cognitive–linguistic mechanisms that is not always fully captured in empirical research. This study examined learning profiles among children with persistent low academic achievement using a multidimensional framework integrating linguistic and neurocognitive domains. A teacher-referred sample of students in the 3rd to 5th grades was classified a priori into three groups based on semantic definition and phonological awareness and compared on standardized measures of reading, writing, arithmetic, memory, attention, and executive functions. Three distinct learning profiles were identified: one characterized by preserved semantic and phonological skills despite persistent academic difficulties; a second marked by phonological awareness weaknesses accompanied by working memory limitations; and a third showing combined semantic and phonological impairments associated with broader neurocognitive vulnerabilities, particularly in working and semantic memory. These findings demonstrate that similar academic outcomes may arise from functionally distinct cognitive–linguistic pathways and support profile-based, mechanism-oriented approaches to the study, assessment, and support of children with low academic achievement in reading and writing.