< Back to previous page

Project

Understanding heterogeneity in preschoolers at risk for mathematical learning difficulties via latent profile analysis

It has been repeatedly observed that children vary substantially in their levels of mathematical knowledge prior to school entry with some children already showing difficulties in their mathematical skills. These difficulties have been labelled to be highly heterogeneous, although the existing body of evidence has not investigated this heterogeneity in early mathematical skills in preschool via a person-centered approach in struggling children who are at risk for developing difficulties in academic learning. We will jointly study predictors of mathematical ability and of reading ability to fully understand the overlap and co-occurrence of learning difficulties in mathematics and in reading. We will also longitudinally follow-up children from preschool to grade 1 and 2 of primary school to examine how profiles of strengths and weaknesses in preschool change over time as children go to school. To realize these objectives, we will be adopting a functionally defined recruitment approach starting from a large and mixed sample of preschoolers with learning-related problems considered by teachers and health practitioners to be at risk for developing learning difficulties. The combination of functionally defined samples with person-centered analyses, such as latent profile analysis, had been suggested as a novel way to map the heterogeneity associated with poor school performance. This will add to the research and practice on early identification and intervention in children at risk for struggling with mathematics learning.

Date:1 Oct 2022 →  Today
Keywords:Mathematical development, Learning difficulties, Heterogeneity, Preschool
Disciplines:Mathematics and numeracy curriculum and pedagogics, Special needs education, Educational and school psychology
Project type:PhD project