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

19 Pages Posted: 2 Nov 2015 Last revised: 16 Apr 2023

See all articles by Ingo E. Isphording

Ingo E. Isphording

IZA Institute of Labor Economics

Marc Piopiunik

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute) - Department Human Capital and Innovation

Núria Rodríguez-Planas

City University New York (CUNY), Queens College; University of Barcelona - Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB)

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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

JEL Classification: I21, I24, Z13

Suggested Citation

Isphording, Ingo E. and Piopiunik, Marc and Rodriguez-Planas, Nuria, Speaking in Numbers: The Effect of Reading Performance on Math Performance Among Immigrants. IZA Discussion Paper No. 9433, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2684243 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2684243

Ingo E. Isphording (Contact Author)

IZA Institute of Labor Economics ( email )

P.O. Box 7240
Bonn, D-53072
Germany

Marc Piopiunik

CESifo (Center for Economic Studies and Ifo Institute) - Department Human Capital and Innovation ( email )

Poschingerstr. 5
Munich, 81679
Germany

Nuria Rodriguez-Planas

City University New York (CUNY), Queens College ( email )

65-30 Kissena Blvd
Flushing, NY 11367-1597
United States

HOME PAGE: http://https://sites.google.com/site/nuriarodriguezplanas/

University of Barcelona - Institut d'Economia de Barcelona (IEB) ( email )

c/ Tinent Coronel Valenzuela, 1-11
Barcelona, 08034
Spain

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