Poster #180 - The role of mathematical language in preschool mathematics development in China and the US

• In Event: 1-115 - Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Section - Race, Ethnicity, Culture, Context

Integrative Statement

Purpose:
Mathematics achievement differences between Chinese children and US children are evident prior to formal schooling (Huntsinger, Jose, Liaw, & Ching, 1997; Miller, Smith, Zhu, & Zhang, 1995; Paik, van Gelderen, Gonzales, de Jong, & Hayes, 2011; Ryoo et al., 2014) not only for broad, overall mathematics skills (Aunio, Aubrey, Godfrey, Pan, & Liu, 2008; Ryoo et al., 2014) but also for subskills such as relational skills (e.g., making statements about relations between physical objects and numbers on a number line; Aunio et al., 2008; Huntsinger et al., 1997) and numeral formation (Huntsinger et al., 1997). Examination of these early-emerging and continued cross-country differences is crucial because early mathematics knowledge is related to later academic development (J. Zhang et al., 2017). To understand reasons behind the performance gaps, it is important to examine key factors that may support mathematical learning, such as mathematical language, given the growing recognition of its importance in mathematics development (Purpura, Napoli, Wehrspann, & Gold, 2017; Toll & Van Luit, 2014b). Because the language surrounding mathematics is more transparent in Chinese than in English (Han & Ginsburg, 2001; greater incorporation of mathematical language in everyday language; e.g., the words for "thigh" mean "big/large leg," the words for "calf" mean "small/little leg," the words for "Thursday" mean "day of the week four), the purpose of this study was to investigate how children’s mathematical language may relate to development of their mathematics skills during preschool, in China and the US.

Method:
Participants included 216 children (n = 125 from the US; n = 91 from China). On average, children were approximately four years old, and slightly over fifty percent were female (see Table 1 for additional descriptive information). Mathematical language was measured with the Preschool Assessment of the Language of Mathematics ([PALM]; α = .85; Purpura & Logan, 2015). The measure consists of 16 items targeting quantitative language (e.g., more, take away) and spatial language (e.g., far away, nearest). Broad mathematics ability was measured using the Preschool Early Numeracy Skills Test-Brief Version (PENS-B). The PENS-B consists of 24 items (α = .93; Purpura, Reid, Eiland, & Baroody, 2015; e.g., number order and number combinations) that children learn in preschool and kindergarten. US children were assessed with the measures in English, and Chinese children were assessed on the same measures that were translated (and back-translated) into Chinese, by the research team members fluent in both English and Mandarin. Two-level analyses were conducted, with children’s age, gender, general cognitive ability, and parents’ education included as control variables.

Results:
The main result was that despite no differences in mathematical skills among Chinese and US children with low mathematical language in the fall, there was a large gap in these children’s skills in the spring, with Chinese children outperforming US children (see Figure 1).

Conclusion:
The finding provides support for the notion that structural language differences between Chinese and English (in particular, the embedded nature of mathematical language in Chinese) may provide differential supports for mathematical learning in preschool.

Authors

• Melody Kung, Purdue University
  Presenting Author

• Sara Schmitt, Purdue University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Chenyi Zhang, Georgia State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Fuyi Yang, East China Normal University
  Non-Presenting Author

• Shawn D. Whiteman, Utah State University
  Non-Presenting Author

• David Purpura, Purdue University
  Non-Presenting Author