The Relationship between Children’s Listening Ability, Its Influencing Factors, and the Children’s Academic Ability in Science

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify the relationship between children’s listening ability, its influencing factors, and their academic abilities in science. In the teaching matters of listening, as indicated by the courses of study for elementary schools, the Japanese language version notified by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology in 2017, we defined children’s listening ability as listening to and understanding what the speaker wants to say and what they want to hear, and having their own impressions and thoughts based on what they hear. We examined whether children’s listening ability and its influencing factors defined participants’ academic ability in science using structural equation modeling. The results showed that academic ability in science is predicted by children’s listening ability, Kanji writing ability, and verbal working memory. The results suggest that designing lessons and curricula focusing on children’s listening ability, Kanji writing ability, and verbal working memory can improve their academic abilities in science.