Spatial and verbal routes to number comparison in young children

The ability to compare the numerical magnitude of symbolic numbers represents a milestone in the development of numerical skills. However, it remains unclear how basic numerical abilities contribute to the understanding of symbolic magnitude and whether the impact of these abilities may vary when symbolic numbers are presented as number words (e.g., \u201csix vs. eight\u201d) vs. Arabic numbers (e.g., 6 vs. 8). In the present study on preschool children, we show that comparison of number words is related to cardinality knowledge whereas the comparison of Arabic digits is related to both cardinality knowledge and the ability to spatially map numbers. We conclude that comparison of symbolic numbers in preschool children relies on multiple numerical skills and representations, which can be differentially weighted depending on the presentation format. In particular, the spatial arrangement of digits on the number line seems to scaffold the development of a \u201cspatial route\u201d to understanding the exact magnitude of numerals

On the primacy and irreducible nature of first-person versus third-person information

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Numerical Activities and Information Learned at Home Link to the Exact Numeracy Skills in 5-6 Years-Old Children

It is currently accepted that certain activities within the family environment contribute to develop early numerical skills before schooling. However, it is unknown whether this early experience influences both the exact and the approximate representation of numbers, and if so, which is more important for numerical tasks. In the present study the mathematical performance of 110 children (mean age 5 years 11 months) was evaluated using a battery that included tests of approximate and exact numerical abilities, as well as everyday numerical problems. Moreover, children were assessed on their knowledge of number information learned at home. The parents of the participants provided information regarding daily activities of the children and socio-demographic characteristics of the family. The results showed that the amount of numerical information learned at home was a significant predictor of participants' performance on everyday numerical problems and exact number representations, even after taking account of age, memory span and socio-economic and educational status of the family. We also found that particular activities, such as board games, correlate with the children's counting skills, which are foundational for arithmetic. Crucially, tests relying on approximate representations were not predicted by the numerical knowledge acquired at home. The present research supports claims about the importance and nature of home experiences in the child's acquisition of mathematics

Educating students with disabilities in regular classes

This article addresses a subset of critical issues pertaining to including students with developmental disabilities in general education class including: (a) classroom environment, (b) teacher engagement, (c) curriculum adaptation strategies, (d) peer supports, and (e) self-determination

Effectiveness of digital-based interventions for children with mathematical learning difficulties : A meta-analysis

Abstract The purpose of this work was to meta-analyze empirical evidence about the effectiveness of digital-based interventions for students with mathematical learning difficulties. Furthermore, we investigated whether the school level of the participants and the software instructional approach were decisive modulated factors. A systematic search of randomized controlled studies published between 2003 and 2019 was conducted. A total of 15 studies with 1073 participants met the study selection criterion. A random effects meta-analysis indicated that digital-based interventions generally improved mathematical performance (mean ES = 0.55), though there was a significant heterogeneity across studies. There was no evidence that videogames offer additional advantages with respect to digital-based drilling and tutoring approaches. Moreover, effect size was not moderated when interventions were delivered in primary school or in preschool

Digital life, mathematical skills and cognitive processes

A consistent part of the literature shows the significant role of digital experience in digital natives’ cognitive processes. The main goal of the current study was to investigate the impact of digital learning on the improvement of mathematical skills and on some change in cognitive processes in 166 primary school children from schools located in different parts of Italy. Participants were divided in two group: one group experienced the study of math mainly through digital tools, the other spent more time on pencil-and-paper trainings. All our participants were assessed with a battery of tests measuring numerical and cognitive abilities. Our results suggest the positive effect of a different type of training for the empowerment of visuo-spatial and numerical abilities. Specifically, effects of a digital experience are particularly evident in some specific numerical areas, such us accuracy, speed, semantic and syntactic numerical knowledge. Also, participants with greater experience of digital trainings score higher on spatial orientation

Perch\ue9 i problemi matematici sono difficili? Ipotesi e modelli psicologici delle abilit\ue0 di problem solving matematico

Per una rassegna degli studi sul problem solving matematico, il ragionamento deve dunque partire da qui: l\u2019abilit\ue0 di risoluzione di problemi \ue8 una delle principali competenze del nostro sistema di elaborazione della conoscenza. In particolare, nell\u2019ambito della ricerca psicologica tale espressione ha assunto almeno due distinti significati. Se da un lato \ue8 un\u2019attivit\ue0 assimilata ad apprendimenti di discipline a carattere prevalentemente scientifico, tra cui per l\u2019appunto la matematica, dall\u2019altro \ue8 anche un\u2019abilit\ue0 generale che permea le strutture stesse dell\u2019\u201cintelligere\u201d e che procede in maniera strategica nella ricerca della soluzione/delle soluzioni

SOS JOY WANTED

Recent researches, following the pandemic, have shown in people, especially the youngest ones, an increase of suffering, articulated in tiredness and being worried, all feelings linked primarily to the nDWLRQDO FORVXUH RI VFKRROV DQG VRFLDO PHHWLQJ« 'HSUHVVLYH DQG ODQJXLVKLQJ PRRG VHHP WR EH WKH 3QRUPDO´ FRQGLtion of everyday feeling of each of us, young and adult

Difficolt\ue0 in matematica nei disturbi da deficit d\u2019attenzione con o senza iperattivit\ue0

In questo articolo sono passati in rassegna i pi\uf9 importanti studi psicologici sugli studenti con disturbi da deficit d\u2019at- tenzione con o senza iperattivit\ue0 (DDAI), concentrandosi sull\u2019area disciplinare della matematica. In particolare, sono analizzati i dati rilevati dalla ricerca sulle loro prestazioni in due abilit\ue0 fondamentali: il problem solving e il calcolo. La letteratura sul DDAI ha evidenziato le conseguenze negative che questo disturbo spesso ha sul rendimento e sui progressi scolastici. Gli studenti con questo disturbo hanno spesso scarsi risultati scolastici e tra di essi sono frequenti i casi di bocciatura e abbandono. Non \ue8 ancora chiaro, tuttavia, se lo scarso rendimento scolastico che accompagna il DDAI sia connesso alle compromissioni comportamentali oppure a quelle cognitive che il disturbo comporta