How do different aspects of spatial skills relate to early arithmetic and number line estimation?

The present study investigated the predictive role of spatial skills for arithmetic and number line estimation in kindergarten children (N = 125). Spatial skills are known to be related to mathematical development, but due to the construct’s non-unitary nature, different aspects of spatial skills need to be differentiated. In the present study, a spatial orientation task, a spatial visualization task and visuo-motor integration task were administered to assess three different aspects of spatial skills. Furthermore, we assessed counting abilities, knowledge of Arabic numerals, quantitative knowledge, as well as verbal working memory and verbal intelligence in kindergarten. Four months later, the same children performed an arithmetic and a number line estimation task to evaluate how the abilities measured at Time 1 predicted early mathematics outcomes. Hierarchical regression analysis revealed that children’s performance in arithmetic was predicted by their performance on the spatial orientation and visuo-motor integration task, as well as their knowledge of the Arabic numerals. Performance in number line estimation was significantly predicted by the children’s spatial orientation performance. Our findings emphasize the role of spatial skills, notably spatial orientation, in mathematical development. The relation between spatial orientation and arithmetic was partially mediated by the number line estimation task. Our results further show that some aspects of spatial skills might be more predictive of mathematical development than others, underlining the importance to differentiate within the construct of spatial skills when it comes to understanding numerical development.

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Explaining the relationship between number line estimation and mathematical achievement: The role of visuomotor integration and visuospatial skills

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology ◽

10.1016/j.jecp.2015.12.004 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 145 ◽

pp. 22-33 ◽

Cited By ~ 43

Author(s):

Victoria Simms ◽

Sarah Clayton ◽

Lucy Cragg ◽

Camilla Gilmore ◽

Samantha Johnson

Keyword(s):

Number Line ◽

Mathematical Achievement ◽

Visuomotor Integration ◽

Visuospatial Skills ◽

Number Line Estimation ◽

The Relationship

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Developmental trajectories of number line estimations in math anxiety: evidence from bounded and unbounded number line estimation

10.21203/rs.3.rs-336929/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Sarit Ashkenazi¹ ◽

Nitzan Cohen¹

Keyword(s):

Math Anxiety ◽

Developmental Trajectories ◽

Number Line ◽

Spatial Theory ◽

Reference Points ◽

Group Differences ◽

Estimation Task ◽

Number Line Estimation ◽

5Th Grade ◽

Numerical Estimations

Abstract In the number line estimation task, participants are instructed to place a number, spatially, on a number line. In the present study, 2nd, 3rd and 5th grade children (n = 94) participated in bounded and unbounded number line estimation tasks, half with low math anxiety (LMA) and half with high MA (HMA). The spatial theory views MA as resulting from weakness in spatial abilities, subsequent to deficits in basic numerical abilities. Accordingly, due to number space associations, weakness in estimations are expected in HMA individuals. Accordingly, young children with HMA show non-mature numerical estimations compared to participants with LMA. Specifically, HMA participants showed higher logarithmic tendency than LMA peers, and showed indications for usage of 2 reference points rather than 3 reference points in number line estimations (bounded and unbounded). However, for older HMA children, estimations were normalized and group differences were eliminated. Finally, we found that estimations (linear fits and errors) in the bounded but not the unbounded tasks, predicted usage of advance memory-based strategies in simple addition operations. These results indicated that bounded and unbounded number line estimations are dissociable in 1) developmental trajectories, 2) in relation to MA and 3) in relation to math performances.

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Understanding Number Line Estimation in Williams Syndrome and Down Syndrome

Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders ◽

10.1007/s10803-019-04268-7 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 50 (2) ◽

pp. 583-591 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

V. Simms ◽

A. Karmiloff-Smith ◽

E. Ranzato ◽

J. Van Herwegen

Keyword(s):

Down Syndrome ◽

Williams Syndrome ◽

Neurodevelopmental Disorders ◽

Number Line ◽

Mental Number Line ◽

Typically Developing ◽

Verbal Intelligence ◽

Spatial Skills ◽

Number Line Estimation ◽

Group Comparisons

Abstract Previous studies suggest that tasks dependent on the mental number line may be difficult for Williams Syndrome (WS) and Down Syndrome (DS) groups. However, few have directly assessed number line estimation in these groups. The current study assessed 28 WS, 25 DS and 25 typically developing (TD) participants in non-verbal intelligence, number familiarity, visuo-spatial skills and number line estimation. Group comparisons indicated no differences in number line estimation. However, the WS group displayed difficulties with visuo-spatial skills and the DS group displayed difficulties with number familiarity. Differential relationships between number line estimation and visuo-spatial/number familiarity skills were observed across groups. Data is discussed in the context of assessment of skills in neurodevelopmental disorders.

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Imparare la matematica con Number Worlds: un intervento quinquennale nella scuola primaria

ECPS - Educational Cultural and Psychological Studies ◽

10.7358/ecps-2021-023-bimo ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Elisa Bisagno ◽

Sergio Morra

Keyword(s):

Number Line ◽

Primary School Children ◽

Traditional Teaching ◽

Math Learning ◽

Estimation Task ◽

Mathematical Concepts ◽

Number Line Estimation ◽

End Of Grade ◽

The Impact ◽

Experimental Group

The Number Worlds (NW) program is based on Case’s theory of cognitive development and conceptual learning, and it promotes the learning of mathematical concepts through playful-manipulative activities and respecting children’s level of development. This five years-research is meant to develop an Italian adaptation of the program, compare it with traditional teaching, and determine the impact of working memory (WM) on math learning. 56 primary school children participated in the research. Since grade I, 13 pupils (controls) followed traditional teaching of math; 43 children worked with NW, 3 hours a week for 7 months. The pupils were assessed with two WM tests, the Number Knowledge Test (NKT), and the Number Line Estimation Task (NLET) at the beginning of Grade I and at the end of each Grade. At the end of Grade V, the AC-MT battery was also administered. The experimental group improved more than controls on the NKT and NLET from Grade I to IV. At the end of Grade V, both groups showed a «ceiling effect» in the NKT and NLET performance. However, a difference in favour of the experimental group was found in some AC-MT tasks. WM, together with the curriculum, was predictive of mathematics performance up to class IV.

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The importance of replicating meta-analyses: Commentary on “Conceptual replication and extension of the relation between the number line estimation task and mathematical competence across seven studies”

Journal of Numerical Cognition ◽

10.5964/jnc.7617 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 7 (3) ◽

pp. 479-482

Author(s):

Michael Schneider ◽

Simon Merz ◽

Johannes Stricker ◽

Bert De Smedt ◽

Joke Torbeyns ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Number Line ◽

Estimation Task ◽

Mathematical Competence ◽

Number Line Estimation ◽

Meta Analyses

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EXPRESS: The Association of Basic Numerical Abilities and Math Achievement: The Mediating Role of Visuospatial and Arithmetical Abilities

Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology ◽

10.1177/17470218211040060 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 174702182110400

Author(s):

Franziska Rebholz ◽

Jessika Golle ◽

Korbinian Moeller

Keyword(s):

Number Line ◽

Mathematical Achievement ◽

School Students ◽

Mediating Role ◽

Solution Strategies ◽

Domain Specific ◽

Numerical Abilities ◽

Visuospatial Abilities ◽

Number Line Estimation

Basic numerical abilities such as number line estimation have been observed repeatedly to be associated with mathematical achievement. Recently, it was argued that the association between basic numerical abilities and mathematical achievement is fully mediated by visuospatial abilities. However, arithmetical abilities have not yet been considered as influencing this association, even though solution strategies in number line estimation as well as mathematical achievement often involve arithmetical procedures. Therefore, we investigated the mediating role of arithmetical and visuospatial abilities on the association between number line estimation and mathematical achievement in a sample of n = 599 German elementary school students. Results indicated that arithmetical abilities as well as visuospatial abilities mediated the association between number line estimation and mathematical achievement. However, neither visuospatial nor arithmetical abilities fully mediated the association between number line estimation and mathematical achievement when considered in isolation. This substantiates the relevance of the intertwined development of visuospatial and arithemtical abilities as well as basic numerical abilities such as number line estimation (i.e. the combination of domain-specific numerical and domain-general abilities) driving mathematical achievement.

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