Alice Sullivan|Martin Brown
Reading for pleasure and progress in vocabulary and mathematics
University of London|University of London
paper examines inequalities attainment vocabulary mathematics age 16 nationally representative cohort people born britain 1970 1970 british cohort study analytical sample n 3583 cohort members completed vocabulary mathematics tests age 16 explore whether inequalities result childhood social background similar across linguistic mathematical domains whether differ extent inequalities accounted families social class position parents education home reading resources well childrens reading pleasure reading seen indicator cultural capital also test influence alternative indicator cultural capital playing musical instrument longitudinal analysis addresses question extent differences attainment determined age 10 factors linked growth differentials adolescence show childhood reading linked substantial cognitive progress ages 10 16 whereas playing instrument reading strongly linked progress vocabulary weaker still substantial link progress mathematics strikingly reading pleasure strongly linked parental education cognitive progress adolescence