Skill learning as a predictor of literacy abilities and related impairments among second-graders from low-SES

This longitudinal study tested a conceptual model involving children's motor-skill learning, cognitive measures, and word-level literacy measures as predictors of higher levels of literacy skills. Motor skill learning was assessed with the Invented Letter Task (ILT), representing procedural learning. Second graders (n = 124) from low-SES schools practiced skill-learning across two consecutive days and two weeks later. Midway through the year, fine-motor coordination, working memory, phonological awareness, vocabulary, spelling, writing, and reading fluency were assessed. National standardized literacy tests were administered at the end of the school year. Using structural equation modeling, skill-learning first-day achievements (signifying learning) and two-week post-training performance (signifying automaticity), along with measures assessed midyear, served as predictors of reading comprehension and written expression, confirming the contribution of skill-learning to literacy acquisition. The risk for impairments in reading comprehension/written expression was tested using the same model, indicating similar, but not identical, associations. Educational relevance statement: This study underscores the importance of skill-learning abilities for literacy development in second-grade children from low-income families. By using a letter-writing task, end-of-year reading and writing performance were predicted. The research identified key factors that may indicate which children are at risk for literacy impairments, emphasizing the need for early interventions. Early training in basic skills is shown to have significant long-term educational benefits. These findings suggest that educators can use such tasks to screen and support students, thereby improving literacy outcomes.