The role of early language abilities on math skills among Chinese children

<div><p>Background</p><p>The present study investigated the role of early language abilities in the development of math skills among Chinese K-3 students. About 2000 children in China, who were on average aged 6 years, were assessed for both informal math (e.g., basic number concepts such as counting objects) and formal math (calculations including addition and subtraction) skills, language abilities and nonverbal intelligence.</p><p>Methodology</p><p>Correlation analysis showed that language abilities were more strongly associated with informal than formal math skills, and regression analyses revealed that children’s language abilities could uniquely predict both informal and formal math skills with age, gender, and nonverbal intelligence controlled. Mediation analyses demonstrated that the relationship between children’s language abilities and formal math skills was partially mediated by informal math skills.</p><p>Results</p><p>The current findings indicate 1) Children’s language abilities are of strong predictive values for both informal and formal math skills; 2) Language abilities impacts formal math skills partially through the mediation of informal math skills.</p></div

Descriptive statistics, zero-order correlations and intraclass correlations (ICC) of the variables.

<p>Descriptive statistics, zero-order correlations and intraclass correlations (ICC) of the variables.</p

Two-Step hierarchical regression models predicting informal math and formal math skills from language abilities.

<p>Two-Step hierarchical regression models predicting informal math and formal math skills from language abilities.</p

Descriptive statistics, correlations, and partial correlations among all tasks.

<p>Descriptive statistics, correlations, and partial correlations among all tasks.</p

Next directions in measurement of the home mathematics environment: an international and interdisciplinary perspective

This article synthesizes findings from an international virtual conference, funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), focused on the home mathematics environment (HME). In light of inconsistencies and gaps in research investigating relations between the HME and children’s outcomes, the purpose of the conference was to discuss actionable steps and considerations for future work. The conference was composed of international researchers with a wide range of expertise and backgrounds. Presentations and discussions during the conference centered broadly on the need to better operationalize and measure the HME as a construct – focusing on issues related to child, family, and community factors, country and cultural factors, and the cognitive and affective characteristics of caregivers and children. Results of the conference and a subsequent writing workshop include a synthesis of core questions and key considerations for the field of research on the HME. Findings highlight the need for the field at large to use multi-method measurement approaches to capture nuances in the HME, and to do so with increased international and interdisciplinary collaboration, open science practices, and communication among scholars