A 7-year longitudinal model of math and receptive vocabulary in primary school.

This study followed 3,757 Chilean children from age 3 to age 11 to understand how early language skills, family resources, and executive functions together influence math and vocabulary development in primary school. The researchers used statistical modelling to trace indirect pathways showing how these factors connect over time. The findings suggest that early language ability and executive functions in preschool are particularly important for later math and vocabulary skills. The study identifies how early predictors work together through intermediate factors to shape children's academic development.

Key points

• Early language skills at age 3 predicted executive functions at age 5
• Executive functions at age 5 promoted both math and receptive vocabulary skills by age 11
• The strongest indirect pathway began with early language ability leading to executive functions, then to academic outcomes
• Mother's socio-economic status and cognitive skills were included as early predictors in the model
• Availability of home learning materials was examined as a potential mediating factor

Limitations

The study is observational and identifies associations rather than causal effects. The findings are specific to a Chilean population and may not generalise to other contexts with different educational systems or socio-economic structures.