Poster #48 - Exploring the Stability and Change of Low-Income Preschoolers’ Numerical Skills

• In Event: Poster Session 14

Abstract

Prior to kindergarten entry, there is significant variability in children’s mathematical knowledge (Sarama & Clements, 2009). Individual differences in children’s numerical skills during preschool predict their later math achievement (Duncan et al., 2007; Watts et al., 2014), and children from low-income households tend to show lower performance on measures of numerical skills compared to children from upper-income households (Jordan & Levine, 2009). Recent research has begun to unpack the developmental progression of numerical skills within samples of young children from lower-income households (Rittle-Johnson et al., 2016; Sarnecka et al., 2022; vanMarle et al., 2014), taking a critical step towards supporting children’s early mathematical achievement.

The present study aimed to describe the patterns of stability and change in the numerical skills of children from low-income households across the school year. Specifically, we asked which numerical skills remained stable over time, which skills saw more and less improvement, and which child and parent factors were associated with more improvement on individual numerical skills. We hypothesized that children who were younger, had higher working memory capabilities, had lower initial performance, and had parents who believed that their child was good at math and that hard work helps children become better at math would show greater improvements over time.

Participants were 140 Head Start preschoolers (Mage=53 months; 49% female; 60% African American or Black, 19% Asian or Pacific Islander, 9% Caucasian/White, 11% Biracial/Multiracial; 21% Hispanic/Latino). Children completed a range of numerical measures individually with an experimenter during the fall and spring of the school year (Table 1). Parents completed a survey regarding their beliefs about their child’s mathematical development, including their child’s math performance relative to other children their age and the extent to which they believe hard work leads to children learning more.

More than one third of the sample performed at ceiling at the Time 1 administration on measures of numeral identification and cardinality, with fewer children performing at ceiling on measures assessing magnitude and addition skills (Table 1). Difference scores indicate that between 34 and 59 percent of children showed improvements on each numerical skill across the school year, with most children showing improvement on measures of numerical magnitude compared to numeral identification, cardinality, and addition skills. Patterns of decline suggest instability on children’s performance on number line estimation and addition tasks, coupled with measurement issues. Contrary to our hypotheses, children’s age, working memory, and parental beliefs regarding mathematics were inconsistently related to children’s improvements on numerical skills (Table 2). However, children’s initial performance was significantly negatively correlated with their improvements on measures of cardinality, magnitude, and addition, such that children with lower initial performance saw the largest gains in their numerical skills across the year.

In sum, our study adds to the growing literature characterizing the numerical development of children from low-income households. Our results suggest that preschool is an opportune time for children’s developing magnitude skills, with some weaker support for the role of children’s working memory and parental beliefs regarding mathematics.

Author

• Nicole R Scalise, Washington State University
  Presenting Author