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Worldwide, national initiatives have led to many school districts implementing computing curricula at the primary level. At that age, students are learning the foundational skills of reading and math. It is important to understand how computing can influence the development of these skills. While some argue that learning computing sharpens problem-solving skills that are applicable to other subjects, evidence supporting this belief is thin. In a quasi-experimental study of fourth-grade (ages 9-10) students, we compared state reading and math test scores of students receiving computing instruction with students who did not. Our findings demonstrated that a more open-ended, less scaffolded form of computing instruction was linked to performance gains in math, but not in reading (𝐹 (2, 232) = 11.08, 𝑝 < .01, 𝜂𝑝2 = .0625). When looking at students who face academic challenges that can impact reading and math, the same trend applied to students with economic disadvantages and students with limited English proficiency, but not for students with disabilities. These results suggest that moderately scaffolded computing instruction supports the development of skills applicable to math, a step towards better understanding the relationship between learning opportunities in computing and outcomes in other subjects. 

With the growth of Computer Science (CS) and Computational Thinking (CT) instruction in the primary/elementary domain, it is important that such instruction supports diverse learners. Four categories of students ś students in poverty, multi-lingual students, students with disabilities, and students who have below-grade-level proficiency in reading and math, may face academic challenges that can hinder their learning in CS/CT curricula. However, little is known about how to support these students in CS/CT instruction, especially at this young age. TIPP&SEE, a meta-cognitive strategy that scaffolds learning by proceduralizing engagement through example code, may offer some support. A quasi-experimental study revealed that the gaps between students with and without academic challenges narrowed when using the TIPP&SEE strategy, indicating its promise in providing equitable learning opportunities in CS/CT.