Preschoolers' Maternal Support and Cognitive Competencies as Predictors of Elementary Achievement

authored by: Joachim Tiedemann, Günter Faber
Abstract: This article reports longitudinal data on the link between certain home environmental variables, cognitive prerequisites of preschoolers, and later school achievement in spelling/reading and arithmetic. Based on Gagné's (1962) learning component model and on the two-component model of parental reinforcement as conceptualized by Stapf, Herrmann, Stapf, and Stäcker (1972), data of 103 preschool children were gathered and analyzed over 3 years. Maternal support, as it was perceived by the preschoolers, had a significant direct impact on cognitive preschool competencies and academic achievement even when intelligence, age, and sex were taken into account. Metalinguistic, prenumerical, and visual-perceptual competencies had substantial direct effects, primarily on first-grade achievement in spelling/reading and arithmetic—even after controlling for initial IQ. Although preschoolers' cognitive competencies, as well as maternal support, substantially predicted later spelling/reading and arithmetic, school achievement at Grade 3 was primarily affected by prior achievement at Grades 1 and 2. Findings support a developmental understanding of academic success or failure, emphasizing the role of maternal support and associated prenumerical and metalinguistic competencies at the preschool level.
Organisation(s): Institute of Psychology
Type: Article
Journal: The journal of educational research
Volume: 85
Pages: 348-354
No. of pages: 7
ISSN: 0022-0671
Publication date: 1992
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Education
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1080/00220671.1992.9941137 (Access: Closed)

BibTeX

@article{5096ad7309034fc2a1438b55beda1006,
title = "Preschoolers' Maternal Support and Cognitive Competencies as Predictors of Elementary Achievement",
abstract = "This article reports longitudinal data on the link between certain home environmental variables, cognitive prerequisites of preschoolers, and later school achievement in spelling/reading and arithmetic. Based on Gagn{\'e}'s (1962) learning component model and on the two-component model of parental reinforcement as conceptualized by Stapf, Herrmann, Stapf, and St{\"a}cker (1972), data of 103 preschool children were gathered and analyzed over 3 years. Maternal support, as it was perceived by the preschoolers, had a significant direct impact on cognitive preschool competencies and academic achievement even when intelligence, age, and sex were taken into account. Metalinguistic, prenumerical, and visual-perceptual competencies had substantial direct effects, primarily on first-grade achievement in spelling/reading and arithmetic—even after controlling for initial IQ. Although preschoolers' cognitive competencies, as well as maternal support, substantially predicted later spelling/reading and arithmetic, school achievement at Grade 3 was primarily affected by prior achievement at Grades 1 and 2. Findings support a developmental understanding of academic success or failure, emphasizing the role of maternal support and associated prenumerical and metalinguistic competencies at the preschool level.",
author = "Joachim Tiedemann and G{\"u}nter Faber",
year = "1992",
doi = "10.1080/00220671.1992.9941137",
language = "English",
volume = "85",
pages = "348--354",
journal = "The journal of educational research",
issn = "0022-0671",
publisher = "Routledge",
number = "6",
}