Previous research has demonstrated a link between children's ability to name canonical finger configurations and their mathematical abilities. This study aimed to investigate the nature of this association, specifically exploring whether the relationship is skill and handshape specific and identifying the underlying mechanisms involved.…

This article reconsiders Case's theory of central conceptual structures (CCS), examining the relation between working memory and the acquisition of quantitative CCS. The lead hypothesis is that the development of working memory capacity shapes the development of quantitative concepts (whole and rational numbers). Study I, with 779 children from…

Visuo-spatial training is considered a promising approach to provide young children with a sound foundation for later mathematical learning. We developed and implemented a tablet-based visuo-spatial intervention in kindergarten classrooms aiming to foster the development of children's visuo-spatial and numerical abilities. A sample of N = 125…

There is an ongoing debate over the psychophysical functions that best fit human data from numerical estimation tasks. To test whether one psychophysical function could account for data across diverse tasks, we examined 40 kindergartners, 38 first graders, 40 second graders and 40 adults' estimates using two fully crossed 2 × 2 designs, crossing…

The development of numerical concepts is described from infancy to preschool age. Infants a few days old exhibit an early sensitivity for numerosities. In the course of development, nonverbal mental models allow for the exact representation of small quantities as well as changes in these quantities. Subitising, as the accurate recognition of small…

For learning math, non-symbolic quantity skills, symbolic skills and the mapping between number symbols and non-symbolic quantities are all important precursors. Little is known, however, about the interrelated development of these skills. The current study focuses on numerical development by: (a) investigating the structure of non-symbolic,…

The present paper provides a critical overview of how adult neuropsychological models have been applied to the study of the atypical development of numerical cognition. Specifically, the following three assumptions are challenged: 1. Profiles of strength and weaknesses do not change over developmental time. 2. Similar neuronal structures are…

We investigated the relation between children's numerical-magnitude representations and their memory for numbers. Results of three experiments indicated that the more linear children's magnitude representations were, the more closely their memory of the numbers approximated the numbers presented. This relation was present for preschoolers and…

Described is an activity where base-10 blocks are used to develop students' skills in reading, writing, and visualizing large numbers. An activity sheet that helps students with decimal points is included. (KR)

This study examined the generality of the logarithmic to linear transition in children's representations of numerical magnitudes and the role of subjective categorization of numbers in the acquisition of more advanced understanding. Experiment 1 (49 girls and 41 boys, ages 5-8 years) suggested parallel transitions from kindergarten to second grade…

This guide describes 47 number and numeration learning activities that can be used with elementary school students. These activities have been developed using the mathematics laboratory approach. This publication is designed to serve as a stimulant to encourage teachers to open their minds and employ their imagination in developing further…

Studies of young children's sequence of development from counting to the beginnings of formal arithmetic are reviewed. Four essential basic skills are identified: use of counting words, enumeration, the cardinality rule, and quantitative comparison. The contribution of counting to the development of arithmetical proficiency is stressed. (JDD)

Developmental patterns and interrelationships of various informal skills, reading and writing of numerals, and a range of base ten/place value concepts/skills were examined in a study involving 78 primary school children from four schools who were individually examined in a standardized interview. A total of 23 tasks were administered and…

This paper theoretically characterizes number sense as a set of cognitive capabilities for constructing and reasoning within mental models. This perspective provides support for viewing various aspects of number sense as features of students' general condition of knowing about numbers and magnitude, rather than as skills needing specific…

Two experiments examined the development of children's understanding of part-whole relations. Found that five- and six-year olds evidenced understanding of part-whole relations, but four-year olds did not. Results support the conclusion that an understanding of the relationship between a superordinate set and the basic-level sets that comprise it…