Students' Growth Trajectories in Mathematics: The Role of Language Proficiency

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether reading comprehension predicts learning gains in mathematics from the fourth to the sixth grade. The study also examined whether second-language learners show smaller learning gains in mathematics than students whose first language is German when socioeconomic status and basic cognitive abilities are controlled for. Learning gains in mathematics (N = 3,169) were modeled using a latent growth model. The findings indicate that the reading comprehension of children predicts not only their mathematical competence in Grade 4, but also their learning gains in mathematics from Grades 4 to 6. Further analyses revealed that differences in mathematical competence between second-language learners and students whose first language is German disappear when controlling for reading comprehension. However, no differences were found in mathematical learning gains between second-language learners and students whose first language is German.