How children's reading and math skills grow from kindergarten to third grade
Examining distinct and shared mechanisms underlying arithmetic and reading development through behavioral and neural measures: alongitudinal investigation
This project follows children from kindergarten through third grade to find the brain and thinking skills that help reading and math develop.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Harvard University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11094057 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If your child joins, researchers will follow them from kindergarten to third grade with regular tests of reading, arithmetic, and thinking skills. They will also collect brain measures alongside behavioral tests to look for shared and distinct patterns linked to learning. Children with typical learning and those with reading or math difficulties will be compared to see which early measures predict later success. The team aims to identify kindergarten-based predictors that could flag children who might benefit from extra support.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are children entering kindergarten (and their families), including kids with typical learning and those at risk for reading or arithmetic difficulties.
Not a fit: People outside the kindergarten-to-third-grade age range or those seeking immediate clinical treatment are unlikely to benefit directly from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help identify children early who need targeted help in reading or math so they can get support sooner.
How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have linked brain and cognitive markers to reading or math skills, but this long-term combined approach to predict outcomes from kindergarten is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
Cambridge, United States
- Harvard University — Cambridge, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gaab, Nadine — Harvard University
- Study coordinator: Gaab, Nadine
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.