View in EDS

Mapping the Mechanisms of Interdisciplinary Learning Transfer from Reading to Math Achievement: Evidence from a Large-Scale Randomized Controlled Trial. EdWorkingPaper No. 26-1376

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Mapping the Mechanisms of Interdisciplinary Learning Transfer from Reading to Math Achievement: Evidence from a Large-Scale Randomized Controlled Trial. EdWorkingPaper No. 26-1376
Language: English
Authors: Joshua B. Gilbert (ORCID 0000-0003-3496-2710), James S. Kim (ORCID 0000-0002-6415-5496), Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
Source: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. 2026.
Availability: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
Peer Reviewed: N
Page Count: 54
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Elementary Education
Grade 1
Primary Education
Grade 2
Grade 3
Grade 4
Intermediate Grades
Descriptors: Transfer of Training, Reading Instruction, Mathematics Achievement, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Elementary School Students, Grade 4, Reading Achievement, Outcomes of Education, Reading Skills, Mathematics Skills, Achievement Tests, Social Emotional Learning
Assessment and Survey Identifiers: Measures of Academic Progress
Abstract: Far transfer--the application of learning across distant domains--remains elusive in intervention research, and even when it is found, its mechanisms remain unclear or unexplored. This study analyzes data from the Model of Reading Engagement (MORE), a sustained content literacy intervention implemented in Grades 1-3 that demonstrated positive treatment effects on both near transfer reading and far transfer math outcomes in a prior study. Here, we extend the original analysis to examine the potential mechanisms of the far transfer effects previously observed on math. Latent mediation analysis shows that approximately 50% of the treatment effect on Grade 4 math is explained by Grade 3 reading, leaving the remainder attributable to other factors. The indirect effects on math are driven by broad standardized reading measures rather than narrower content-specific reading comprehension or background knowledge, suggesting that interventions targeting broad, cross-disciplinary skills may be most effective for supporting far transfer. Results are robust to high levels of unobserved confounding, alternative mediators representing reading engagement and social-emotional learning, and alternative model specifications. We conclude with a discussion of how the appropriate methodological choices for assessing transfer depend on intervention characteristics and substantive research questions.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: ED678325
Database: ERIC
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
CustomLinks:
  – Url: https://eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=ED678325
    Name: ERIC Full Text
    Category: fullText
    Text: Full Text from ERIC
Header DbId: eric
DbLabel: ERIC
An: ED678325
AccessLevel: 3
PubType: Report
PubTypeId: report
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Mapping the Mechanisms of Interdisciplinary Learning Transfer from Reading to Math Achievement: Evidence from a Large-Scale Randomized Controlled Trial. EdWorkingPaper No. 26-1376
– Name: Language
  Label: Language
  Group: Lang
  Data: English
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Joshua+B%2E+Gilbert%22">Joshua B. Gilbert</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3496-2710">0000-0003-3496-2710</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22James+S%2E+Kim%22">James S. Kim</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6415-5496">0000-0002-6415-5496</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Annenberg+Institute+for+School+Reform+at+Brown+University%22">Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University</searchLink>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Annenberg+Institute+for+School+Reform+at+Brown+University%22"><i>Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University</i></searchLink>. 2026.
– Name: Avail
  Label: Availability
  Group: Avail
  Data: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University. Brown University Box 1985, Providence, RI 02912. Tel: 401-863-7990; Fax: 401-863-1290; e-mail: annenberg@brown.edu; Web site: https://annenberg.brown.edu/
– Name: PeerReviewed
  Label: Peer Reviewed
  Group: SrcInfo
  Data: N
– Name: Pages
  Label: Page Count
  Group: Src
  Data: 54
– Name: DatePubCY
  Label: Publication Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: TypeDocument
  Label: Document Type
  Group: TypDoc
  Data: Reports - Research
– Name: Audience
  Label: Education Level
  Group: Audnce
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Elementary+Education%22">Elementary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+1%22">Grade 1</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Primary+Education%22">Primary Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+2%22">Grade 2</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+3%22">Grade 3</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Grade+4%22">Grade 4</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Intermediate+Grades%22">Intermediate Grades</searchLink>
– Name: Subject
  Label: Descriptors
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Transfer+of+Training%22">Transfer of Training</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Instruction%22">Reading Instruction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Achievement%22">Mathematics Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+1%22">Grade 1</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+2%22">Grade 2</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+3%22">Grade 3</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Elementary+School+Students%22">Elementary School Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Grade+4%22">Grade 4</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Achievement%22">Reading Achievement</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Outcomes+of+Education%22">Outcomes of Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Reading+Skills%22">Reading Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mathematics+Skills%22">Mathematics Skills</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Achievement+Tests%22">Achievement Tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+Emotional+Learning%22">Social Emotional Learning</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectThesaurus
  Label: Assessment and Survey Identifiers
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SU" term="%22Measures+of+Academic+Progress%22">Measures of Academic Progress</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Far transfer--the application of learning across distant domains--remains elusive in intervention research, and even when it is found, its mechanisms remain unclear or unexplored. This study analyzes data from the Model of Reading Engagement (MORE), a sustained content literacy intervention implemented in Grades 1-3 that demonstrated positive treatment effects on both near transfer reading and far transfer math outcomes in a prior study. Here, we extend the original analysis to examine the potential mechanisms of the far transfer effects previously observed on math. Latent mediation analysis shows that approximately 50% of the treatment effect on Grade 4 math is explained by Grade 3 reading, leaving the remainder attributable to other factors. The indirect effects on math are driven by broad standardized reading measures rather than narrower content-specific reading comprehension or background knowledge, suggesting that interventions targeting broad, cross-disciplinary skills may be most effective for supporting far transfer. Results are robust to high levels of unobserved confounding, alternative mediators representing reading engagement and social-emotional learning, and alternative model specifications. We conclude with a discussion of how the appropriate methodological choices for assessing transfer depend on intervention characteristics and substantive research questions.
– Name: AbstractInfo
  Label: Abstractor
  Group: Ab
  Data: As Provided
– Name: DateEntry
  Label: Entry Date
  Group: Date
  Data: 2026
– Name: AN
  Label: Accession Number
  Group: ID
  Data: ED678325
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=eric&AN=ED678325
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Languages:
      – Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 54
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Transfer of Training
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Instruction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 1
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 2
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 3
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Elementary School Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Grade 4
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Achievement
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Outcomes of Education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Reading Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mathematics Skills
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Achievement Tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social Emotional Learning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Measures of Academic Progress
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Mapping the Mechanisms of Interdisciplinary Learning Transfer from Reading to Math Achievement: Evidence from a Large-Scale Randomized Controlled Trial. EdWorkingPaper No. 26-1376
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Joshua B. Gilbert
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: James S. Kim
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University
              Type: main
ResultId 1