The relationship between cognitive and reading skills in typically developing pre-primary school children

The aim of this study was to investigate the prospective relationship between cognitive abilities assessed at the beginning of the academic year and reading skills acquired by the end of the academic year, including reading speed and reading comprehension, and to examine the predictive value of baseline cognitive abilities for later reading performance in typically developing pre-primary school children.

Fifty-four typically developing children (age = 75.41 ± 5.79 months; 57.4% male) enrolled in a local primary school participated in the study. Cognitive abilities, including attention, working memory, executive functions, and visual perception, were evaluated using standardized neuropsychological tests and parent-reported questionnaires. Reading performance (comprehension and speed) was assessed using a text and comprehension questions approved by the Ministry of National Education.

Spearman correlation analysis revealed statistically significant weak to moderate correlations between visuoperceptual skills (Words per minute (WPM): ρ = 0.335, p = 0.013; total text reading time (TRT): ρ = 0.315, p = 0.021), executive functions (TRT; ρ = 0.277, p = 0.042), and reading speed (WPM and TRT). In addition, reading comprehension was significantly correlated, with weak-to-moderate effect sizes, with working memory (ρ = 0.406, p = 0.002), executive functions (ρ = 0.272, p = 0.047), and visuoperceptual skills (ρ = 0.29, p = 0.033). Furthermore, suffix errors were moderately and significantly associated with visual discrimination skills (ρ = 0.473, p<0.001). Regression analyses indicated that working memory accounted for 23% of the variance in comprehension scores.

These results suggest that working memory may be a key factor underlying reading comprehension. In this context, incorporating working memory training into early educational programs for typically developing pre-primary school children may enhance reading comprehension and indirectly contribute to academic success.