Total fine motor scores show a significant very weak-to-weak positive association with reading performance, with strong review-level evidence¶
Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · reviewr3·q3·i1small
Currency · newest study 2018 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person
Subclaims¶
Reading the evidence codes
q is the design tier, i the impact, n the sample, and the kind with its r
the rigour judged within that kind: what each code means.
This claim: no standardized effect is recorded in observations/ for it yet, so no benchmark reading is possible.
q3 i1 All six studies examining total fine motor scores and reading performance reported significant positive associations, five of fair to good quality, with correlations such as r = 0.18–0.23. → Macdonald Kirstin 2018
Evidence¶
Macdonald Kirstin 2018¶
Macdonald Kirstin, Milne Nikki, Orr Robin, Pope Rodney. (2018). Relationships between Motor Proficiency and Academic Performance in Mathematics and Reading in School-Aged Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15081603
q3 · i1 · review · r3
Review synthesis of six observational studies of total fine motor scores and reading. One study reported "significant very weak to weak positive correlations (r = 0.18–0.23)" between manual dexterity subtest scores and phonemic awareness and word reading; three ECLS-K studies found fine motor skills a very strong and consistent predictor of later reading achievement.
"Overall, summary coding suggests there was a strong level of evidence to support a significant very weak-to-weak positive association between total fine motor scores and reading performance (see Table 2)."
Discussion¶
Related Claims¶
- Fine motor integration shows a significant very weak to strong positive relationship with reading performance, but its unique contribution diminishes when other predictors are controlled
- Total fine motor scores are significantly and positively associated with mathematics performance in school-aged children, with strong review-level evidence
- Preliminary evidence from a small number of experimental studies suggests motor skill interventions in primary school settings may positively impact mathematics and/or reading performance
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