Chapter 4. The Interplay of Reading, Spelling, and Math in Primary Education: A Panel VAR Analysis tween reading, spelling, and math skills changes in different settings or under different conditions. Policy implications Our findings prompt further investigation, yet can already be employed in various ways. First of all, the comprehension of the interplay between skills should be borne in mind when designing policies to enhance skills. Our results, especially on the cumulative effects of shocks to skills, should be considered when formulating and evaluating policies. In cost-benefit analyses, it should be considered that students may benefit in multiple domains and time periods from a certain intervention. To be more precise, an investment in a certain skill should not only be evaluated based on the result of this investment on that particular skill in the time period after the investment. It is also important to consider how changes in one skill are associated with other skills and how these patterns evolve over the longer term, to better understand the potential implications of such investments. For researchers, this study has implications concerning effect studies. Although an intervention may target one skill, changes in that skill are associated with patterns across the entire system, potentially coinciding with adjustments in other skills. Researchers should therefore pay attention to these indirect effects and monitor outcomes over the short, medium, and long term. Considering these broader patterns can also inform cost-benefit analyses, as interventions may yield wider benefits across multiple skills than are immediately apparent, or conversely, some gains may diminish over time. Taking this system-wide perspective allows for a more informed 104
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