Mapping between number notations in kindergarten and the role of home numeracy

Abstract

Two recent studies investigated how children learn to map between digits, number words, and dots (Hurst, Anderson, & Cordes, 2017; Jiménez Lira, Carver, Douglas, & LeFevre, 2017). In the current study we aimed to replicate these previous findings by examining a much larger sample (N = 195 kindergarteners, aged 2 years 6 months to 5 years 2 months) and taking into account home numeracy activities, that is, daily parent-child interactions with numerical content. In line with previous studies, the results showed that children first learn to map number words onto dots, and number words onto digits, and only afterwards – to map digits onto dots. Furthermore, number words ↔ digits mapping was a better mediator of the relation between digits ↔ dots and the dots ↔ number words mapping tasks, than the dots ↔ number words, suggesting that children rely on their symbolic number knowledge to learn the relation between digits and dots. Finally, both basic and advanced home numeracy activities were positively related to children’s mappings skills. Furthermore, we observed that with increasing the children’s age a shift from basic to advanced activities was present. These results emphasize the importance of tailoring the home numeracy activities according to children’s age.