Developmental abilities and achievements in Serbian language and mathematics

• Main Authors: Gligorović Milica, Buha Nataša
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Univerzitet u Beogradu - Fakultet za specijalnu edukaciju i rehabilitaciju 2015-01-01
• Series: Specijalna Edukacija i Rehabilitacija
• Subjects: academic achievements; Acadia test; Serbian language; Mathematics
• Online Access: http://scindeks-clanci.ceon.rs/data/pdf/1452-7367/2015/1452-73671503319G.pdf
• ISSN: 1452-7367; 2406-1328

The main aim of this research is to determine the relation between abilities which are considered to be prerequisites for acquiring academic knowledge and skills and achievements in the fields of Serbian language and Mathematics in children attending 3rd and 4th grade of elementary school. The sample consisted of 115 typically developing children of both genders, aged between 8 and 11 (AM=9.78). Acadia test of developmental abilities was applied to assess the abilities which are necessary for acquiring academic knowledge and skills. Achievements in the fields of Mathematics and Serbian language were assessed on the basis of teachers’ questionnaire based on General achievement standards and the grades on tests. Pearson correlation coefficient, one-way analysis of variance, multivariate analysis of variance and Scheffe post hoc test were used in statistical analysis. Statistically significant influence of developmental abilities assessed by means of Acadia test was determined on achievements in the fields of Serbian language (p≤0.000) and Mathematics (p≤0.000), presented through total scores and each of the assessed fields separately (p=0.000- 0.007). A moderate statistically significant relation was determined between the score on Acadia test and the grade in Serbian language (r=0.512, p≤0.000) and Mathematics (r=0.523, p≤0.000). Achievements on Acadia test are a statistically significant factor of the grades in Serbian language (p≤0.000) and Mathematics (p≤0.000). By means of Post hoc analysis, it was determined that teachers’ assessment of achievements and grades in Serbian language and Mathematics of the examinees who achieved the lowest results on Acadia test (under 25%) are statistically significantly different from the achievements of other examinees. By summing up the research results, we can conclude that the obtained data confirm the empirical validity of Acadia test and account for its application in the assessment of readiness to acquire academic knowledge and skills in younger school children.