The Association of Inattention and Children's Math Development: A Longitudinal Study

• In Event: Poster Session 12
  In Poster Session: Student Cognition, Attitudes, and Learning in Math

Abstract

This study examined the association of teacher-rated inattention and children’s math development as children progress from elementary into middle school. Of particular interest was whether children who are frequently inattentive exhibit different patterns of growth in fact retrieval, calculation, and conceptual knowledge of place value than children who are seldom inattentive. The analysis found that inattention in second grade was related to lower levels of fact retrieval and calculation performance in third grade. However, with one exception, inattention was not found to be associated with growth in any of the three math skills evaluated. Findings indicated that third grade inattention was as predictive of sixth grade calculation as were third-grade measures of fact retrieval, calculation skill, and place value knowledge.

Authors

• Catherine Keefer Lee, University of Maryland - Baltimore County

• Susan Sonnenschein, University of Maryland - Baltimore County

• Michele M. Mazzocco, Kennedy Krieger Institute