Disentangling the Effects of SFON (Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity) and Symbolic Number Skills on the Mathematical Achievement of First Graders. A Longitudinal Study

Noemi Gloor,Elisabeth Moser Opitz,Delia Leuenberger

doi:10.3389/feduc.2021.629201

Noemi Gloor, Elisabeth Moser Opitz + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2021.629201

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Abstract

Research has established that Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity (SFON) and symbolic number skills (e.g., counting out loud, counting objects, linking small magnitudes and numbers) are predictors of mathematical achievement in primary school. However, little is known about the relationship between SFON and symbolic number skills, or whether one of these factors is more influential on a child’s subsequent mathematical achievement. This study investigated the effect of SFON and symbolic number skills on mathematical achievement at the end of Grade 1 by controlling for first language, gender, working memory and nonverbal IQ. Participants wereN= 1,279 first graders. SFON, symbolic number skills and control variables (first language, gender, working memory, and nonverbal IQ) were measured at the beginning of Grade 1. SFON was assessed with a verbally-based task. Data on mathematical achievement was collected at the end of Grade 1. Descriptive statistics demonstrated that the children’s SFON was relatively low at the beginning of Grade 1. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the relationship between SFON, symbolic number skills and mathematical achievement at the end of Grade 1. The results revealed a weakly significant correlation between SFON and symbolic number skills. SFON and symbolic number skills were significant predictors of mathematical achievement at the end of Grade 1. However, the effect of symbolic number skills on mathematical achievement was greater than the effect of SFON. It is therefore concluded that numerical skills are more important than SFON for predicting mathematical achievement over the course of first grade.

Highlights

Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity (SFON) and symbolic number skills have both been identified as important predictors of mathematical achievement gain (e.g., HannulaSormunen et al, 2015; Gallit et al, 2018)
This study investigates how a child’s SFON and symbolic number skills at the beginning of Grade 1 may relate to mathematical achievement at the end of Grade 1
This study investigated how a child’s SFON and symbolic number skills, measured at the beginning of Grade 1, might predict their mathematical achievement at the end of Grade 1, controlling for nonverbal IQ, working memory, gender and first language

Summary

Introduction

Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity (SFON) and symbolic number skills have both been identified as important predictors of mathematical achievement gain (e.g., HannulaSormunen et al, 2015; Gallit et al, 2018). Hannula et al (2005) were the first to investigate SFON. SFON is defined as a “process of spontaneously [. . .] focusing attention on the exact number of a set of items or incidents” The term “spontaneous” means that the process of focusing on numbers is self-initiated and not guided by others. Hannula-Sormunen et al (2020) emphasize that this process of focusing attention on the exact number of objects in their surroundings is a skill that children have to learn. A child’s SFON performance reflects their tendency to focus on the numerical, so discussions of SFON often refer to SFON tendencies, but in this paper we use the term SFON on its own

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