Early predictors of mathematics learning difficulty in rural Chinese children

Mathematics learning difficulty (MLD) can be manifested in the early years of primary school, yet its early indicators remain largely unexplored, particularly in the context of rural children. This study sought to address this gap by investigating the early predictors of MLD in rural Chinese children. The first wave of assessments conducted on 106 rural preschoolers (aged 40–60 months) encompassed IQ, spatial skills, short-term and working memory, visual attention, and vocabulary. Two years later, in Grade 1, their mathematics achievement was assessed, leading to the identification of 26 children with MLD (25 % percentile cut-off). After adjusting for age, it was found that children with MLD scored lower on preschool measures of spatial skills and visual attention compared to their typically achieving peers. Logistic regression analyses further revealed that lower preschool visual attention scores were indicative of a higher MLD probability in Grade 1. Also, a longer duration of boarding preschool attendance was associated with a lower MLD probability. This study thus provides novel insights into early cognitive and contextual factors that contribute to the later identification of MLD in rural Chinese children. Educational relevance and implications statement: The present study revealed that disparities in spatial skills and visual attention, measured in preschool, differentiated rural Chinese children with and without mathematics learning difficulty (MLD). Additionally, visual attention and boarding school experience during preschool appeared to be uniquely predictive of the likelihood of MLD two years later. Practically, visual attention could be considered to be included in the early screening tools to detect children potentially at risk of developing MLD, at least in rural Chinese settings. Moreover, despite concerns about the well-being of children receiving institutionalized residential childcare at a young age, the practice of boarding during preschool in rural China appears to exert some beneficial effects on children's math development.