Examining the Matthew effect The relationship between science knowledge and reading in elementary school

Abstract

The study examines the so-called Matthew effect, according to which the rate of development is greater for high-achieving students and lower for low-achieving students, in the science knowledge of elementary school children. The study analyzes the relationship between reading and science knowledge achievement among students who achieved the highest and the lowest results on science tests in grades 4 and 6. The sample consists of 2784 4th and 6th grade students. Performance is described by grouping students into quartiles, then projecting the quartiles of the two points of measurements on one another. Focus is on students who are either low achievers in both domains or high achievers. Results suggest that the Matthew effect exists in the achievement of science as well. 13.0% of the sample remained in the lowest quartile, 11.6% remained in the highest quartile in both grades. Standard deviation of the performance indicates that individual differences among low achievers in science increases, while it decreases among high achievers. More than half (55.6%) of the low-achieving students have serious difficulties in reading. Almost half of the high-achieving students (48.2%) are among the best in reading as well, however, there are some students (4.3%) who are poor readers in this group. The variance of science performance is explained by the level of reading to a greater extent among low achievers than among high achievers. Results highlight the importance of facilitating the development of science knowledge among elementary school students by focusing both on reading and science.