Teaching Preschoolers Cardinality Principle by Building on Their Subitizing Ability

• In Event: Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood

Abstract

The cardinality principle (CP) is a critically important aspect of numeracy. The present study was designed to investigate the role of subitizing ability (recognizing a collection without counting) in teaching the CP. Eighty 2- to 5-year olds participated. Subitizing training alone resulted in 31 participants in learning the CP. The remaining 49 participants were randomly assigned to one of three CP interventions all of which involved using subitizable collections. Results indicated the ability to subitize a collection of 4 or more items—especially when used with a count first and then label modeling approach—facilitated understanding CP. The findings underscore the need for early childhood educators and parents to build on subitizing ability to teach the CP.

Authors

• Veena Paliwal, University of West Georgia

• Arthur J. Baroody, University of Denver and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

• Ajay K. Das, Empire State College - SUNY