Teaching and Learning

This study examined the contribution of executive function (EF) and multiple aspects of fine motor skills to achievement on 6 standardized assessments in a sample of middle-socioeconomic status kindergarteners. Three- and 4-year-olds ’ (n = 213) fine and gross motor skills were assessed in a home visit before kindergar-ten, EF was measured at fall of kindergarten, and Woodcock–Johnson III Tests of Academic Achievement were administered at fall and spring. Correlations indicated that EF and fine motor skills appeared distinct. Further, controlling for background variables, higher levels of both EF and fine motor skills, specifically design copy, predicted higher achievement on multiple subtests at kindergarten entry, as well as improve-ment from fall to spring. Implications for research on school readiness are discussed. Many kindergarteners struggle to master the foun-dational behaviors that enable them to successfully engage in classroom learning (Rimm-Kaufman, Pianta, & Cox, 2000). This is reflected in skill gaps at school entry between children from socio-demo-graphically advantaged and disadvantaged back-grounds (Grissmer & Eiseman, 2008). Researcher