The Influence of Counting Book Features on the Numerical Input Provided During Shared Book Reading

• In Event: Poster Session 03
  In Poster Session: PS 03 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

Counting books have the potential to provide a supportive context for children to learn the connection between counting and set size (e.g., Mix et al., 2012; Petersen et al., 2014). However, there are wide variations in how counting books are designed (Powell & Nurnberger-Haag, 2015; Ward et al., 2017). In the current study, we were interested in determining features of counting books that elicit comparison input from dyads engaged in shared book reading. Dyads use comparison input when they count and label the same set on a given page. This type of input has been shown to support children in learning the connection between counting and set size (Mix et al., 2012; Paliwal & Baroody, 2018).
Dyads (N = 157) consisting of a caregiver (86% mothers) and child (56% girls) were asked to read two picture books (randomly assigned out of a possible 12). Both books were counting/number books, though this fact was not explicitly revealed to caregivers. The book reading was transcribed and coded to determine how often the dyads counted, labeled the set size, or did both. Additionally, we identified eight book features a priori that could potentially influence how parents and children talked about counting and cardinality: (1) word count, (2) a focus on counting within the text, (3) saliency of the number word on the page, (4) number of numerical representations on the page, (5) order of sets (ascending or descending), (6) homogeneity of the set on the page, (7) tactility of the counting features, and (8) number of distractors.
A repeated measures ANOVA showed differences across the three types of input, F (1.226, 191.231) = 342.51, p <. 001. Dyads most often labeled the set size (M = 16.31 instances, SD = 7.95), with relatively lower levels of comparison input (M = 4.051, SD = 3.75,), or counting without labeling the set size (M = 2.34, SD = 2.83).
To determine the influence of the book features we first conducted a series of between-subjects analyses (only looking at the first book the dyad read) before conducting additional within-subjects analyses (looking at how differences in the two books the dyad read were related to differences in the input the dyad provided). For the between-subjects analyses, only the number of numerical representations was uniquely associated with whether or not the dyad ever provided comparison input, β = .101, Wald (1, N = 157) = 6.637, OR = 1.106, p = .010. For the within-subjects analyses, the number of numerical representations remained positively related to the level of comparison input, β =.173, t(147) = 2.283, p = .024. Additionally, increases in the word count of the books was uniquely associated with increases in the level of comparison input (β = .456, t(147) = 3.993, p < .001).
These findings provide some initial insight into how the features of popular counting books affect the comparison input provided during shared book reading. These results inform our understanding of how best to structure and design counting books to promote children’s understanding of early numeracy concepts.

Authors

• Connor O'Rear, Purdue University, West Lafayette
  Presenting Author

• Nicole McNeil, University of Notre Dame
  Non-Presenting Author