Use non-alphanumeric RAN tasks as early pre-school predictors of mathematics performance¶

Strategy · All strategies
Evidence · 2 claims (2 for) · 1 study (1 quant-synthesis), q3 · 1 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

Because the meta-analysis found no significant difference between alphanumeric and non-alphanumeric RAN correlations with mathematics, the authors recommend that "researchers may rely on non-alphanumeric RAN as a predictor of mathematics performance even before children go to school." RAN objects or colors can serve as early markers of mathematical skill, especially arithmetic fluency, before letter and digit knowledge develops. The article suggests this should inform school readiness assessment, monitoring of skill development, and planning for educational support.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• RAN tasks requiring serial naming of familiar visual stimuli, administered before formal reading instruction introduces letters and digits.

Constraints¶

• The article predicts skill, not intervention outcomes: RAN is a screening marker, not a training target; moderator analyses did not test whether the correlation is stronger in atypical samples.

Target Learners¶

• preschool children (5-6 years)
• children entering school readiness assessment

Target Learning Goals¶

• early identification of risk for arithmetic dysfluency
• predicting later mathematics development

Claims¶

• RAN stimulus type (numeric vs. non-numeric; alphanumeric vs. non-alphanumeric) largely does not moderate the RAN–mathematics correlation [+M]
• RAN is significantly and substantially correlated with mathematics (r = .37) across studies [+M]

Related Strategies¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Koponen, T., Georgiou, G., Salmi, P., Leskinen, M., & Aro, M. (2017). A Meta-Analysis of the Relation Between RAN and Mathematics. Journal of Educational Psychology, 109(7), 977-992. https://doi.org/10.1037/edu0000182