Children’s Mapping between Non-Symbolic and Symbolic Numerical Magnitudes and Its Association with Timed and Untimed Tests of Mathematics Achievement

Carmen Brankaer,Bert De Smedt,Pol Ghesquière,Evelyn Kroesbergen

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0093565

Abstract

The ability to map between non-symbolic numerical magnitudes and Arabic numerals has been put forward as a key factor in children’s mathematical development. This mapping ability has been mainly examined indirectly by looking at children’s performance on a symbolic magnitude comparison task. The present study investigated mapping in a more direct way by using a task in which children had to choose which of two choice quantities (Arabic digits or dot arrays) matched the target quantity (dot array or Arabic digit), thereby focusing on small quantities ranging from 1 to 9. We aimed to determine the development of mapping over time and its relation to mathematics achievement. Participants were 36 first graders (M = 6 years 8 months) and 46 third graders (M = 8 years 8 months) who all completed mapping tasks, symbolic and non-symbolic magnitude comparison tasks and standardized timed and untimed tests of mathematics achievement. Findings revealed that children are able to map between non-symbolic and symbolic representations and that this mapping ability develops over time. Moreover, we found that children’s mapping ability is related to timed and untimed measures of mathematics achievement, over and above the variance accounted for by their numerical magnitude comparison skills.

Highlights

IntroductionThe ability to map between non-symbolic and symbolic magnitude representations, is proposed to play an important role in the development of mathematics [1,2,3]
Numerical magnitude processing, and the ability to map between non-symbolic and symbolic magnitude representations, is proposed to play an important role in the development of mathematics [1,2,3]
Most studies examined the association between this mapping ability and mathematics achievement indirectly by looking at children’s performance on a classic symbolic magnitude comparison task [4,5], yet Mundy and Gilmore [3] were able to examine mapping more directly by using a novel task in which children had to choose which of two quantities matched a target quantity (Arabic digit or dot array), thereby focusing on quantities larger than 20

Summary

Introduction

The ability to map between non-symbolic and symbolic magnitude representations, is proposed to play an important role in the development of mathematics [1,2,3]. Most studies examined the association between this mapping ability and mathematics achievement indirectly by looking at children’s performance on a classic symbolic magnitude comparison task [4,5], yet Mundy and Gilmore [3] were able to examine mapping more directly by using a novel task in which children had to choose which of two quantities (dot arrays or Arabic digits) matched a target quantity (Arabic digit or dot array), thereby focusing on quantities larger than 20. We concentrate on mapping between non-symbolic and symbolic magnitude representations and we present the goals and design of the current study

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion