Language-related longitudinal predictors of arithmetic word problem solving: A structural equation modeling approach

•Word problems are more challenging for children to solve than numerical problems.•We examined early predictors of later word-problem solving in 340 children.•Multiple skills, including language, were associated with word-problem solving.•Relations were similar for boys and girls. We investigated the longitudinal relations between cognitive skills, specifically language-related skills, and word-problem solving in 340 children (6.10–9.02 years). We used structural equation modeling to examine whether word-problem solving, computation skill, working memory, nonverbal reasoning, oral language, and word reading fluency measured at second grade were associated with performance on measures of word-problem solving in fourth grade. Results indicated that prior word-problem solving, computation skill, nonverbal reasoning, and oral language were significantly associated with children’s later word-problem solving. Multi-group modeling suggested that these relations were not significantly different for boys versus girls. Implications of these findings are discussed.