Speaking in Numbers: The Effect of Reading Performance on Math Performance among Immigrants

Ingo Isphording, Marc Piopiunik () and Núria Rodriguez-Planas

No 9433, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: This paper is the first to estimate a causal effect of immigrant students' reading performance on their math performance. To overcome endogeneity issues due to unobserved ability, we apply an IV approach exploiting variation in age-at-arrival and the linguistic distance between origin and destination country languages. Using four PISA waves, we find a strong influence of reading performance on math performance, highlighting the importance of early language support for immigrants for their educational career.

Keywords: age-at-arrival; immigrants; linguistic distance; math performance; language; instrumental variable (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I21 I24 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 19 pages
Date: 2015-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-edu, nep-mig and nep-ure
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published - published in: Economics Letters, 2016, 139, 52-56

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Related works:
Journal Article: Speaking in numbers: The effect of reading performance on math performance among immigrants (2016)
Working Paper: Speaking in numbers: The effect of reading performance on math performance among immigrants (2016)
Working Paper: Speaking in Numbers: The Effect of Reading Performance on Math Performance among Immigrants (2015)
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