Features of Counting Books and their Influence on Preschool Children’s Counting Behavior: Mixed Methods Approach

• In Event: Poster Session 01
  In Poster Session: PS 01 Topic - Cognitive Processes

Abstract

Exposure to math-oriented books supports math development in childhood (Hassinger-Das et al., 2015; Jennings et al., 1992). The structural features of math-oriented books for young children vary widely, and these features, such as distractors in illustrations, may support or hinder children’s math learning (Ward et al., 2017). In Study 1, we extended Ward et al. (2017)’s descriptive study by examining where counting content appears among the pages of the 120 counting books they evaluated. For each book, we coded pages that portrayed counting content and their corresponding story segment. We defined a story segment as the item set to be counted and the corresponding text, numeral, and/or number word(s) directing the reader to that item set. Story segments were coded as occurring on 1- or 2-pages; likewise, we coded location of the corresponding set as appearing on only 1-page, across 2-pages, or (in cases where multiple set sizes were indicated in a story segment) both 1- and 2-pages (Figure 1). The combination of these features is important, because it might influence which item set (or subset) children associate with the numbers(s) presented in a story segment. Preliminary results are based on 61 books, minus 2 excluded for not having sets ≥3. Of the remaining 59 books, 11.86% included exclusively 1-page story segments, 44.07% included exclusively 2-page story segments, and 44.07% included a combination of 1-page and 2-page story segments. Regarding the location of the actual item sets to be counted among all counting pages that were coded, in 32.20% of books all of the sets appeared on 1-page; in 10.17% of books, all sets appeared across 2-pages, and in 57.63% of books, the sets were on either 1-page or 2-pages, such that location of sets to be counting varied across pages of the book. Final results pending acceptance will reflect all 120 books and high inter-rater reliability. These findings establish ecological validity for Study 2, an experimental examination of the influence of item set and story segment location on preschool children’s counting. Participants were 47 preschoolers who listened to an examiner read two math books created for this study, “Bumble” and “Quack,” with order counterbalanced. Each book had 8 pages on which an examiner prompted children to count, including four 1-page story segments and four 2-page story segments. We evaluated if children correctly determined whether to count sets on one- or two-pages, with a 2(Book: Bumble, Quack) x 2(Story Segment: 1-page, 2-page) repeated measures ANOVA. A main effect of story segment, F(1,46)=20.42, p<.001, η2=.31 and book emerged, F(1,46)=13.54, p=.001, η2 =.23. Additionally, the Book x Story Segment interaction was significant F(1,46)=4.57, p=.038, η2=.09; effects revealed children were more likely to correctly identify where to direct their counting on 2-page story segments compared to 1-page story segments, across both books (Figure 2). Additionally, children correctly counted 1-page story segments more often for Bumble than Quack. These results indicate story segment length influences the way children interact with the numerical content when books include a combination of 1-page and 2-page story segments.

Authors

• Jasmine R. Ernst, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  Presenting Author

• Sarah Elizabeth Pan, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  Non-Presenting Author

• Michele Mazzocco, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  Non-Presenting Author