Abstract
Recent studies indicate that Arabic digit knowledge rather than non-symbolic number knowledge is a key foundation for arithmetic proficiency at the start of a child’s mathematical career. We document the developmental trajectory of 4- to 7-year-olds’ proficiency in accessing magnitude information from Arabic digits in five tasks differing in magnitude manipulation requirements. Results showed that children from 5 years onwards accessed magnitude information implicitly and explicitly, but that 5-year-olds failed to access magnitude information explicitly when numerical magnitude was contrasted with physical magnitude. Performance across tasks revealed a clear developmental trajectory: children traverse from first knowing the cardinal values of number words to recognizing Arabic digits to knowing their cardinal values and, concurrently, their ordinal position. Correlational analyses showed a strong within-child consistency, demonstrating that this pattern is not only reflected in group differences but also in individual performance.
Highlights
Recent studies indicate that Arabic digit knowledge rather than non-symbolic number knowledge is a key foundation for arithmetic proficiency at the start of a child’s mathematical career
Using a cross-sectional design, we examined how 4- to 7-year-old children handle Arabic digits in a series of tasks differing in magnitude manipulation requirements that range from digit recognition to implicit as well as explicit access to magnitude information
Seven-year-old children were tested with Arabic digit flankers (2 and 9) but the bisection bias did not occur. These results suggest that implicit access to magnitude information of Arabic digits develops after the age of 7
Summary
Recent studies indicate that Arabic digit knowledge rather than non-symbolic number knowledge is a key foundation for arithmetic proficiency at the start of a child’s mathematical career. Based on previous results (Hoffmann et al, 2013), we expected preschool children from 5 years onwards to process magnitude information of Arabic digits implicitly and show a bisection bias in the LBT, as well as to know the cardinal value of the Arabic digits 1 through 6 and succeed in the ADGiveN task.
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