1. Abstract
Recent investigations in the neuroscience of physical activity (PA)
have shown that higher fit pre-adolescent students as young as 3rd
grade have greater basal ganglia and hippocampal volume, resulting
in significantly better performance in tests of attentional control,
memory, learning, and achievement on standardized tests
(Chaddock et al, 2010, Herting & Nagel, 2012). Acute bouts of
physical activity, regardless of fitness level, have shown similar
improvements in attention, memory, and performance on
standardized tests of reading and math calculation (Hillman et al,
2009). Student reading ability by the end of 3rd grade is highly
predictive of high school graduation, and represents the most
important benchmark in preadolescent student achievement
(Hernandez, 2011, Lloyd, 1978). Recess and physical education
(PE) class are opportunities for students to be physically active
within the school day, and may allow for improvements in fitness and
cognitive function. The purpose of this study is to examine the
relationship between time spent in PA during the school day and 3rd
grade reading ability (3GR). PE teachers and principals in Illinois
elementary schools serving kindergarten through 3rd grade will be
surveyed to gather minutes of recess and PE students receive per
week. 3GR scores for each elementary school will be accessed
from the Illinois State Board of Education, and correlations will be
regressed using multiple factors of student achievement, including
socioeconomic status and per pupil funding. It is hypothesized that
schools providing higher amounts of PA time will have higher or
unchanged average 3GR scores than schools that provide less PA.
Method
Survey
Investigators will survey Illinois elementary schools to determine the
amount of time students spend engaged in physical activity during
a typical week.
Electronic survey via email, along with follow-up phone calls will be
used to gather the needed information (i.e. minutes / week of
Physical Education, Recess, and other regular physical activity
opportunities)
School achievement data in 3rd grade reading will be collected via
Illinois State Board of Education public reporting website.
School level analysis will be done with minutes per week of physical
activity as the independent variable and percent of 3rd grade
students “meeting or exceeding” standards on Illinois State
Achievement Test (ISAT) as the dependent variable.
Research Questions
1. Is physical activity time during school related to early reading ability?
a. Does increased time spent in recess, PE, and other physical activity correlate to increases in
reading proficiency by the end of 3rd grade?
2. Is physical activity a moderator of socioeconomic status in relation to early reading ability?
a. Does physical activity off-set the effects of lower socioeconomic status on early reading ability?
Ben Kern, Gabriella McLoughlin, Kim C. Graber
Department of Kinesiology and Community Health, College of Applied Health Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The relationship between in-school physical activity opportunities and third grade reading ability
Herting and Nagel (2012). Aerobic fitness relates to
learning on a virtual morris water task and
hippocampal volume in adolescents. Behavioral
Brain Research, 233(2): 517–525.
Chaddock et al, (2010). Basal ganglia volume is associated with
aerobic fitness in preadolescent children. Developmental
Neuroscience, 32, 249-256.
Hillman et al, (2009). The effects of acute treadmill walking on
cognitive control and academic achievement in preadolescent
children. Neuroscience, 159, 1044-1054.
Analysis
Power calculations
Power calculations will be used to determine an adequate sample
size based on an estimated correlation of physical activity time to
early reading ability
Simple linear regression
Linear regression will determine the degree to which the
independent variable (physical activity time) is related to the
dependent variable (early reading ability).
F test will be used to test the proportion of early reading ability
accounted for by physical activity time.
Additional significance testing will include independent t-test of the
slope of the regression coefficient (b)
Effect of Fitness and Physical activity on reading ability
u Attention Control
u Working Memory
u Reading Performance
u Math Performance
Cardiovascular
fitness
Brain structure & function
Acute physical
activity
Family environment
• # books
• Parent involvement
• Likelihood to be read to
• Maternal sensitivity
• Quality of interactions with
adults
School environment
• Teacher quality
• Instructional quality
• Material & physical resources
• Peer quality
Community environment
• Safety
• Support for education
• Conditions of and near school
Early reading ability
HS Graduation
Future academic
performance
Self-efficacy
PE
Recess
Home
play
Community
recreation
Physical activity is a moderator
due to
increased cognitive function
Socioeconomic status effects reading ability
Socioeconomic status
Theoretical Framework
Social Ecological Theory