Causal Correlations of Letter Naming and Number Identification with Numeracy and Literacy: Evidence from Af Somali Medium of Instruction Schools, Ethiopia

Abstract

Letter and number identifications are foundational components of literacy and
numeracy development. This study hypothesized that letter naming and
number identification have important implications for numeracy and literacy
learning, respectively. Accordingly, the study employed a correlational design
on a sample of 229 grades 2 and 3 children selected from six primary (two
refugee and four host community) schools in Kebribeyah and Awbare refugee
areas. Data analyzed using Pearson r showed correlational indices ranging
from .40 (between number identification and literacy) to .47 (between letter
naming and numeracy). The values computed on the relationship between
letter naming and number identification as well as between literacy and
numeracy indicated a similar relationship, i.e., r=.43. In terms of shared
variances, further analysis showed shared variances that amounted to 16%,
22.10%, and 18.50% respectively. Generally, the results suggested limited
predictive powers for practical purposes. Besides, linear regressions carried
out taking sex and types of community yielded statistically significant
contributions of type of community, favoring refugee context, on letter naming
and literacy learning only. Hence, further large-scale studies are suggested to
validate the findings and draw curriculum, pedagogical, and teacher
development implications.