Developmental Dynamics of Math Performance From Preschool to Grade 2.

Abstract

This study investigated the developmental dynamics of mathematical performance during children's transition from preschool to Grade 2 and the cognitive antecedents of this development. 194 Finnish children were examined 6 times according to their math performance, twice during each year across a 3-year period. Cognitive antecedents, that is, counting ability, visual attention, metacognitive knowledge, and listening comprehension, were tested at the first measurement point. The results indicated that math performance showed high stability and increasing variance over time. Moreover, the growth of math competence was faster among those who entered preschool with an already high level of mathematical skills. The initial level of math performance, as well as its growth, was best predicted by counting ability.

Exploring the impact of phonological awareness, visual–spatial working memory, and preschool quantity–number competencies on mathematics achievement in elementary school: Findings from a 3-year longitudinal study

“…In a first step of analysis, we were able to replicate core findings of previous longitudinal studies that found substantial correlations not only between early quantity-number competencies and math performance in school (see Aunola et al, 2004;Gersten et al, 2005;Jordan et al, 2007;Koponen, Aunola, Ahonen, & Nurmi, 2007;Krajewski & Schneider, in press;Passolunghi, et al, 2007;Stern, 1997Stern, , 1999, but also between early phonological awareness and math school performance (e.g., Alloway et al, 2005;Bradley & Bryant, 1985;Hecht et al, 2001;Koponen, Aunola, Ahonen, & Nurmi, 2007;Leather & Henry, 1994;Simmons, Singleton, & Horne, 2008). The latter were comparable in size with correlations between phonological awareness and subsequent literacy achievement in school found in studies on literacy development (e.g., Schneider & Näslund, 1999).…”

“…There is empirical evidence demonstrating that the described early quantity-number competencies predict later mathematical school achievement (Aunola, Leskinen, Lerkkanen, & Nurmi, 2004;Koponen, Aunola, Ahonen, & Nurmi, 2007;Krajewski & Schneider, in press;Jordan, Kaplan, Locuniak, & Ramineni, 2007;Passolunghi, Vercelloni, & Schadee, 2007;Stern, 1997Stern, , 1999von Aster, Schweiter, & Weinhold-Zulauf, 2007;Weißhaupt, Peucker, & Wirtz, 2006; see also Gersten, Jordan, &Flojo, 2005, andOkamoto &Case, 1996 for the special importance of Levels I and II). Moreover, in studies focusing on children with mathematical learning disabilities, school children showed deficits in these quantity-number competencies (Gaupp, Zoelch, & Schumann-Hengsteler, 2004;Geary, Hamson, & Hoard, 2000;Geary, Hoard, Byrd-Craven, & DeSoto, 2004;Landerl, Bevan, & Butterworth, 2004).…”

“…In a second step of analysis, we explored whether an direct impact of phonological awareness on school math performance, as already indicated by several studies (see Alloway et al, 2005;Aunola et al, 2004;Hecht et al, 2001;Koponen, Aunola, Ahonen, & Nurmi, 2007;Leather & Henry, 1994;Simmons, Singleton, & Horne, 2008) would prove stable when QNC skills as specific predictors of math performance were included in a causal model. Moreover, we were interested in exploring whether phonological awareness and visual-spatial working memory would contribute differently to the prediction of the different QNC skills and the school variable.…”

Aprendizagem de relações ordinais por meio de treino de uma única sequência de estímulos

“…Considerando que, como demonstrado nos dados do pré-teste, os participantes não contavam, discutiremos a relação entre a numerosidade e a contagem. Embora Green (1993) tenha observado a formação de classes de equivalência compostas por números falados, escritos e conjuntos em jovens com déficit de linguagem que não contavam, pesquisas com crianças em idade pré-escolar e escolar apresentam evidências que vão desde a simples correlação entre a contagem e a equiparação de conjuntos (Mix, 1999;Prado, 2008), entre a contagem e o ulterior desempenho escolar em matemática (Aunola, Leskinen, Lerkkanen, & Nurmi, 2004), até as que apontam a contagem como pré-requisito para a aprendizagem dessas e outras habilidades (Spradlin, Cotter, Stevens & Friedman, 1974;Wang, Reskink & Boozer, 1971).…”

Measurement in education

“…Number processing in young children has been suggested to be multi-dimensional (Dehaene, Piazza, Pinel, & Cohen, 2003), and the development of numerical competencies to be hierarchical (Aunola, Leskinen, Lerkkanen, & Nurmi, 2004;Okamoto & Case, 1996). This implies that mastering basic numerical concepts in early childhood is essential for students' acquisition of more advanced mathematic skills later on.…”