Children's Counting Research Articles

THE IMPORTANCE OF MATHEMATICS LEARNING IN DEVELOPING EARLY CHILDHOOD NUMERACY SKILLS

This study describes the importance of mathematics learning in developing early childhood numeracy skills. This research uses a qualitative descriptive method, with the subject being a 3-year-old child. Data collection was done through direct observation and interviews. The results show that children have difficulty understanding the concept of numbers. Still, using appropriate methods such as counting games with candy, number recognition through pictures, and using clay to form numbers can improve children's counting skills. Effective and fun maths learning can provide a strong foundation for children's future thinking and problem-solving skills. Therefore, educators and parents must provide exciting and effective arithmetic education to build a strong foundation for children's cognitive abilities.

Improving Students’ Cognitive Abilities through Jarimatics Method at Al-Hidayah Negarasaka Village Negerikaton District Pesawaran District

This research is based on the researcher's observations and experience, that cognitive abilities through Jarimatika are not just a medium for counting, but by using the Jarimatika method, children feel happy and there is no pressure. Using the Jarimatika method can train children's counting, and increase children's numeracy skills. Based on the background of the problem, the research problem was formulated, namely: whether the application of learning through the Jarimatika method is able to improve the numeracy skills of Group B RA students. Al-Hidayah, Negarasaka Village, Negerikaton District, Pesawaran Regency. This research uses a collaborative Classroom Action Research (CAR) approach. This research was carried out in two cycles, using instruments in the form of a calculation work sheet using the Jarimatika method and a teacher observation sheet. The improvement can be seen from the children's learning completeness in developing gross motor skills which has increased, this can be seen from the children's learning completeness in the Pras Cycle with a total of 40% completeness. then in cycle I it increased by 46.67%, and in cycle II the percentage of children's learning completion increased to 86.67%.
 Keywords: Jarimatics Method, Improving Students’ Cognitive, Numeracy Skills

Peningkatan Kemampuan Anak Kelompok B dalam Berhitung Melalui Permainan Karpet Angka di TK Islam Al Ishlah Kota Bukittinggi

This study aims to improve children's counting skills in group B in counting. Through the number carpet game at Al Ishlah Islamic Kindergarten, Mandiangin Koto Selayan District, Bukittinggi City. Departing from the low ability of children to count, in this case the researcher is interested in trying to improve learning activities to increase children's interest and motivation so that children's understanding of learning becomes better. The learning improvement process is carried out using the game method which is carried out in two cycles. Researchers collect initial data, data on the development of the learning improvement process and children's learning outcomes which are then reflected on to draw conclusions to determine and plan actions in the next cycle. Then conclude the results of the implementation of the learning improvement process after the cycle ends. The findings of researchers after carrying out corrective actions show that there has been a significant increase, this can be seen from the increase in the average score obtained by children from Starting to Develop (MB) in cycle I, to Developing As Expected (BSH) and Developing Very Well (BSB) in cycle II. With this increase, it can be said that the implications of classroom action research by applying number carpet games have improved children's counting skills in group B. Islamic Kindergarten Al Ishlah Bukittinggi City. Keywords: Counting Ability, Number Carpet Media, Game Method

Peningkatan Kemampuan Berhitung Melalui Metode Bermain Kereta Angka Pada Anak Kelompok A di TK Tunas Harapan

This research aims to assess the effectiveness of the number train play method in enhancing counting skills in group A children. Counting skills are fundamental cognitive abilities essential in a child's developmental process. This study involved 12 children aged 4-5 years who were enrolled in a local kindergarten's group A.The research was conducted using a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design. Participants were divided into two groups: the experimental group, receiving instruction through the number train play method, and the control group, receiving conventional instruction. Data were collected through pre-test and post-test assessments measuring the children's counting abilities.The research results show that the group receiving instruction through the number train play method experienced a significant improvement in their counting skills, while the control group exhibited a lower level of improvement. Data analysis using a t-test revealed a significant difference between the two groups at a significance level of 0.05.This research concludes that the number train play method is effective in enhancing counting skills in group A children. The implications of this study are that play-based methods can be a valuable choice for early childhood counting instruction, offering a more enjoyable and interactive learning experience. It is expected that this research can contribute to the development of more effective teaching methods for early childhood education. Keywords: Cognitive abilities, recognizing number symbols, method of playing number trains.

Pengaruh Media Papan Hitung terhadap Kemampuan Berhitung Anak Usia 5-6 Tahun di TK Aisyiyah 14 Ampang Padang

This study aims to determine how influential the Counting Board Media is on children's counting skills at Aisyiyah 14 Ampang Padang Kindergarten. This study uses a quantitative approach with the Quasy Experiment method. The study population was all children in Aisyiyah 14 Ampang Padang Kindergarten, namely class B1 as the experimental class and class B2 as the control class. The data collection technique used is the form of oral tests and action tests. Then the data was processed with normality test, homogeneity test, and hypothesis testing. Based on data analysis, the normality test obtained data in the experimental class and control class were normally distributed. In the homogeneity test, the data is homogeneous. Then based on the hypothesis test, the sig value (2 tailed) is 0.023 and 0.025, and this value is <0.05. Thus it is concluded that there is a significant influence (real) between learning conducted by researchers in experimental classes with counting board media in learning with those conducted by teachers with number cards to improve children's counting skills at Aisyiyah 14 Ampang Padang Kindergarten.

The how many and give-N tasks: Conceptually distinct measures of the cardinality principle

In the current study we investigated performance on the how many (how many?) and give-N tasks. We first investigated the relative performance of three-to-five-year-old children (N = 393; M = 4.75 years, SD = .75 years) on these tasks. Replicating prior work, we found that children performed worse on give-N compared to how many? and this performance gap increased as the set size increased. This performance gap remained even after controlling for children's counting skill. We next conducted a series of confirmatory factor analyses to identify the best fitting factor structure of three tasks that measure children's understanding of set sizes across both small and large sets: a subitizing measure, how many?, and give-N. We found that the best fitting factor structure contained separate factors for each task. This suggests that each measure provides task-specific variance not captured by the other cardinality measures. These results highlight the different aspects of children's understanding of cardinality.

Features in children's counting books that lead dyads to both count and label sets during shared book reading.

This study examined how book features influence talk during shared book reading. We used data from a study in which parent-child dyads (n= 157; child's Mage = 43.99 months; 88 girls, 69 boys; 91.72% of parents self-reported as white) were randomly assigned to read two number books. The focus was comparison talk (i.e., talk in which dyads count a set and also label its total), as this type of talk has been shown to promote children's understanding of cardinality. Replicating previous findings, dyads produced relatively low levels of comparison talk. However, book features influenced the talk. Books containing a greater number of numerical representations (e.g., number word, numeral, and non-symbolic set) and a greater word count elicited more comparison talk.

MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN KOGNITIF ARITMATIKA ANAK DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN ALAT PERAGA PERMAINAN ULAR TANGGA

The cognitive aspect of arithmetic ability is a necessary aspect for students that deserves attention. This is because arithmetic cognitive ability is a tool that children will use in facing life. In addition, arithmetic cognitive ability is a basic ability for a child to solve everyday problems and is a tool for further education. Snakes and ladders can be adopted as a learning aid for kindergarten children to improve their counting ability. Teachers can consider using snakes and ladders as a teaching method, as it is considered effective for kindergartners who still have a play instinct. The purpose of this research is to understand the effectiveness of the snakes and ladders learning tool in improving children's counting ability. This research was conducted using qualitative and descriptive methodologies. The population and sample were taken from Group B of Aisyiyah Bustanul Athfal Bumi Mulyo Kindergarten with a total of 16 students. Data collection was done through several ways such as observation, interview, and documentation. The data obtained was then analyzed using several steps, namely; data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The results showed that the use of the snakes and ladders tool can help improve arithmetic ability in Group B students of Aisyiyah Bustanul Athfal Bumi Mulyo Kindergarten in the 2021/2022 academic year

Accuracy of Hospital Monitor Respiratory Rates Compared to Manual Counts in Children

Accuracy of Hospital Monitor Respiratory Rates Compared to Manual Counts in Children

REVIEWS

The feelings, emotions and resilience of children are the focus of May's professional book reviews. They include games, visual aids, and activity ideas. The picture books build on the focus of the Working with families page in the Practice Insight supplement – blended families. They support children's understanding of blended families by exploring a wide range of different family types. This month also features a picture book to help support children's counting during the month of Easter.

Comparison of Serum Immunoglobulin Levels and Lymphocyte Counts in Children with Lymphadenitis Following BCG Vaccination

Background: Lymphadenitis is the most common complication following BCG vaccination observed in 0.1% to 1% of children. Objectives: The presence of immunodeficiency can increase the probability of lymphadenitis or contribute to its exacerbation, so the early detection of immunodeficiency in those developing lymphadenitis can help prevent its many catastrophic complications. Methods: This study was performed on patients referred to Taleghani Hospital of Gorgan city in 1396. Forty children with lymphadenitis and 40 healthy children entered the study. Serum samples were taken to measure white blood cell counts and the antibodies, including IgE, IgG, IgM, and IgA. Purified protein derivative (PPD) test was done in both groups. Results: In this study, there were 40 patients with lymphadenitis, of whom 24 were boys (60%), and 16 were girls (40%), and in the control group were 22 boys (55%) and 18 girls (45%). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Lymphadenitis was ipsilateral to the vaccine injection site in all 40 cases, and it was in the anterior axillary region in 82%. Abscess at the lymphadenitis site occurred in 25% of cases. The mean size of induration following PPD in the lymphadenitis group was larger than the control group (5.86 mm and 3.04 mm, respectively) (P = 0.004). There were five patients (12.5%) under one year of age with lymphopenia (lymphocyte count 3,000 >), but no lymphopenia was observed in the control group. The mean average IgA and IgM levels were different between the case and control groups (P = 0.001), (P = 0.016), respectively. There was no statistical difference in IgG and IgE levels between both groups (P = 0.92 and P = 0.762, respectively). Conclusions: This study shows that the size of indurations following PPD injection is higher in those with post-vaccination lymphadenitis. Although the probability of a primary immunodeficiency disorder in the cases of our study was low considering the normal immunoglobulin levels and CBC report, further studies with a larger sample size and more specific investigations, such as flow cytometry and specific antibody response, are needed.

Spatial skills and counting sequence knowledge: Investigating reciprocal longitudinal relations in early years

Despite the robust findings indicating the positive role of spatial skills in a variety of mathematics skills (e.g., calculation), no empirical evidence has been provided concerning the longitudinal reciprocal relations between spatial skills and oral counting – perhaps the earliest form of symbolic representation. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the reciprocal longitudinal relations between spatial skills and three types of counting sequence knowledge (counting range, counting forward, and counting backward), which were measured at three time points between ages 3 to 4 years in a group of 109 young Hong Kong children. A series of family background and domain-general variables (i.e., family SES, vocabulary knowledge and behavioral regulation) were measured as covariates. Results from the cross-lagged panel analyses showed a reciprocal relationship between the children's counting sequence knowledge and their spatial skills, but this relationship only occurred between Time 2 (i.e., fall semester in the first year of kindergarten) and Time 3 (i.e., spring semester in the first year of kindergarten) and not between Time 1 (i.e., end of the nursery year) and Time 2. Further analyses showed that this pattern of results was task dependent. Reciprocal relations were found only in the counting range task and the counting backward task; no reciprocal relationship was found between spatial skills and the counting forward task. The findings reveal the developmental reciprocal link between spatial skills and early mathematics competency (i.e., the production of counting lists) and further highlight that this link varies according to children's conceptual levels of counting knowledge. Implications for classroom practices and teaching strategies are discussed.

Variation in blood count parameters of children aged 5 to 11 years in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire

Background: In Côte d’Ivoire, as in most developing countries, the reference values of hematological indices currently in use come from data collected from populations living in industrialized countries. The aim of this study was to determine variations in the child's blood count in Cote d'Ivoire. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study has focused on 310 children (172 girls and 138 boys) aged 5 to 11 years selected from three municipalities of Abidjan. Blood samples were taken from each child in order to assess the parameters of the blood count. Results: The results revealed that the means of the different hematological parameters (red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, white blood cells, neutrophils, eosinophils, monocyte, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration) were in accordance with the normal physiological reference values from the literature apart lymphocyte. The rate of lymphocytes (51.3 ± 0.5) was higher overall. All the parameters did not indicate significant differences between girls and boys (p > 0.05) except mean corpuscular volume, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin that were statistically different by sex (p < 0.05). The percentage of having a rate of haemoglobin lower than 11.5 decreased significantly (p˂0.005) when the age increased. In addition, the rate of hemoglobin and hematocrit increased slightly starting from the age of 8 years. There is a significant difference (p < 0.05) in hemoglobin level between girls and boys in the age group of 9 years. Leukopenia is observed in a minority of children in the age groups of 5, 6, 7, 8, and 10 years. Conclusion: Some hematological parameters were different from other data published in the literature, which suggested a local development of reference values for children.

Child Gauge 2019: Child and Adolescent Health - Leave no one behind

This 14th issue of the South African Child Gauge is a comprehensive review of the current situation for children and adolescents in South Africa. This issue is divided into three parts, and makes a powerful case for investing in child health - by highlighting recent legislative developments affecting children, examining the importance of early childhood for life-long health trajectories in an 11 chapter series, and lastly by providing informative and detailed statistics on child health, demographics, nutrition, housing, education and access to basic services in an 8 chapter series. The chapters are written by South African academic experts from various universities, in collaboration with directors of research units and facilities, directors of NGOs, medical and allied medical professionals, as well as staff from UNICEF, SAMRC, and other agencies. This review thus provides a multi-faceted approach to understanding where we stand in terms of child health, where to target interventions, and how to prioritise policy making in order to implement sustainable change in this critical, and vulnerable population. The theme of this issue is “Leave no one behind” – a clear message that in order to effect the greatest change in our country, investment must be made to protect ALL children, and to allow the next generation of South Africans to not only survive, but also to thrive. The science clearly shows that if we want to prevent the intergenerational cycles of poverty and violence that are pervasive in our country – focus on the first 1000 days of a child’s life (pregnancy and the first two years of life) as well as on adolescence (and thus the preconception period) is key. These two periods of life are sensitive to change, and are thus critical for future health returns. Health promotion in these period of life is essential for improving later life cognitive development, for prevention of non-communicable diseases, and for halting the rising obesity epidemic we are facing. All chapters are well written and up to date, but Part 3: Children Count, is particularly intriguing and useful as a go-to guide on children statistics in South Africa. This section provides in-depth, and well summarised data on the demography of South African children, income, poverty and social grants, child health, nutrition, and children’s access to education, basic services and housing. This rich data source, in combination with the science provided in part two into the importance of this period of life, will be useful for researchers, policy makers, agencies and health care professionals alike. Ultimately, given that South Africa has committed to the 2030 SDGs, particularly improving maternal and child health and reducing childhood mortality, this Child Gauge is a valuable tool for monitoring progress, and also for identifying key target areas for improvement. As Nelson Mandela knew and proclaimed nearly 40 years ago, “There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children”. The importance of children for the future of our country cannot be understated – let us learn from our mistakes and shortcomings that have been so clearly laid out in this issue, and from those that came before; and start providing our children with a country that they can be proud of. Dr Alessandra Prioreschi, PhD, MSc, BSc(Hons)

Response to a Specific and Digitally Supported Training at Home for Students With Mathematical Difficulties.

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a shortened, specialized, and digitally supported training program for enhancing numerical skills in primary and secondary school children with mathematical difficulty (MD). The participants (n = 57) were randomly assigned to two groups: for the experimental group, the tasks were differentiated and adapted to each student’s learning profile. Moreover, children of this group used a Web App (i.e., “I bambini contano” or “Children count” in English) for improving arithmetic fact retrieval at home; for the control group, the difficulty of the activities was graded according to the school curriculum, and this group did not use the Web App. Pre‐ to post-training measurements showed that children of the experimental group had an improvement significantly higher than the control group, in particular in arithmetic facts and written calculation. Moreover, a follow-up evaluation indicated that the efficacy of the experimental training program lasted up to 2 months after the intervention. The results indicate that a specialized face-to-face intervention along with a digitally supported training at home can benefit children with mathematical learning difficulties.

Maternal Support of Children's Math Learning in Associations Between Family Income and Math School Readiness.

This study examined maternal support of children's math learning at 36months (n=140) as a mediator of the association between early childhood family income and children's counting and calculation skills at 4½ and 6-7years. Family income was associated with this measure of children's math school readiness, but the association was almost entirely indirect and mediated by observed maternal support of children's numerical skills at 36months. Maternal support of children's spatial concept and general learning (cognitive stimulation and sensitivity) were not significant mediators of this association. Results suggest that income-based gaps in counting and calculation skills at school entry may be due in part to the constraints that low family income places on early numerical learning support.

The relation between parent ratings and direct assessments of preschoolers’ numeracy skills

This study examines whether parent ratings of children's numeracy skills are more related to direct assessments of corresponding skills, broad numeracy, or other cognitive skills, to inform how to best utilize parent ratings in research. Children in the sample (N = 129) ranged from 3.07 to 5.95 years old and 52.3% were male. Most (81%) of the children were White. Parents rated their children's counting, arithmetic, and numeral identification skills. Children were directly assessed on these skills, broad numeracy, and other cognitive skills (i.e., expressive vocabulary, executive function). Parent ratings of children's numeracy abilities varied in terms of whether they were more related to directly assessed corresponding skills or broad numeracy abilities. Aggregated parent ratings predicted broad numeracy abilities more than other cognitive skills, providing evidence for discriminant validity. Findings inform how parent ratings may be used when children cannot be directly assessed, such as when large-scale parent surveys are used.

Erythrocyte Indices and Leucocyte Count of Children with Plasmodium Falciparum Infection in Yola, Nigeria

Erythrocyte indices are parameters that examine red blood cell conditions and measures the size, shape, and physical characteristics...

EBOF: A New Load Balancing Objective Function for Low-power and Lossy Networks

The IPv6-based Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks (RPL) is a new routing protocol designed to satisfy constrained networks such as 6LoWPAN. The default route selection technique of RPL takes into account a single metric, which is unable to recognize the load balancing problem in the network. As a consequence, energy may drain rapidly from overloaded nodes, and the nodes that die first can cause a partition in the network. To resolve this problem, we propose a new RPL-compliant objective function named the Energy Balance Objective Function (EBOF). It combines two different routing metrics, which are the Expected Transmission Count (ETX) and the Child Count (CC). Then, the Destination Oriented Directed Acyclic Graph (DODAG) Information Object (DIO) message format is amended to disseminate the CC information among neighbor nodes. Two metrics are utilized to select the best path and to construct a balanced network. The proposed scheme is examined through simulation tests and evaluated against the Minimum Rank with Hysteresis Objective Function (MRHOF), the Load Balancing Model for RPL (ALABAMO), and Load Balanced Objective Function (LB-OF). The resulting analysis shows that the proposed EBOF significantly achieves the energy balance among intermediate nodes, which in turn prolongs the network lifetime.

Changes in dental status and peripheral blood countsof children whose temporary molars were restored using stainless steel crowns during oral cavity sanitation

Relevance. Problem of children health maintenance becomes more important nowadays. According to results of scientific researches of the last decade oral health influences general health state, therefore condition of the dentofacial system can be considered as indicator of general health.Purpose. To evaluate the effectiveness of the use of standard steel crowns for the children's oral cavity sanitation based on an analysis of the teeth condition and peripheral blood counts.Materials and methods. 77 children 4-9 years old, whose temporary molars during oral cavity sanitation after treatment of chronic pulpitis by vital pulp amputation were restored using either filling materials or stainless steel crowns were examined. Dental state was analyzed by evaluation of caries rate, caries rate’s increment and reduction of caries rate’s increment. In order to evaluate general performance status of children in research groups general blood test and immunogram were taken twice (before sanation and a year after) to estimate total concentration and percentage of different types of leucocytes, T-helpers and T-suppressors.Results. Children 4-9 years old, whose temporary molars during oral treatment were restored using stainless steel crowns demonstrate significant improvement of dental state by 54% reduction of caries rates increment. Children 4-9 years whose temporary molars were restored using stainless steel crowns had statistically significant decline of leucocytes amount (from 9,62 K/mcL to 7,35 K/mcL) and tendency to cell immunity stabilization, which definitely testify improvement of general status.Conclusions. The study shows improvement of dental state and some characteristics of peripheral blood of 4-9 year old children whose temporary molars were restored using Stainless Steel Crowns.