Loughborough University
Browse
MundyGilmoreJECP(2009).pdf (326.43 kB)

Children’s mapping between symbolic and nonsymbolic representations of number

Download (326.43 kB)
journal contribution
posted on 2011-08-26, 13:23 authored by Eleanor Mundy, Camilla GilmoreCamilla Gilmore
When children learn to count and acquire a symbolic system for representing numbers, they map these symbols onto a preexisting system involving approximate nonsymbolic representations of quantity. Little is known about this mapping process, how it develops, and its role in the performance of formal mathematics. Using a novel task to assess children’s mapping ability, we show that children can map in both directions between symbolic and nonsymbolic numerical representations and that this ability develops between 6 and 8 years of age. Moreover, we reveal that children’s mapping ability is related to their achievement on tests of school mathematics over and above the variance accounted for by standard symbolic and nonsymbolic numerical tasks. These findings support the proposal that underlying nonsymbolic representations play a role in children’s mathematical development.

History

School

  • Science

Department

  • Mathematics Education Centre

Citation

MUNDY, E. and GILMORE, C.K., 2009. Children’s mapping between symbolic and nonsymbolic representations of number. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 103 (4), pp. 490-502

Publisher

© Elsevier

Version

  • AM (Accepted Manuscript)

Publication date

2009

Notes

This article was published in the serial, Journal of Experimental Child Psychology [© Elsevier]. The definitive version is available at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2009.02.003

ISSN

0022-0965

Language

  • en

Usage metrics

    Loughborough Publications

    Categories

    No categories selected

    Exports

    RefWorks
    BibTeX
    Ref. manager
    Endnote
    DataCite
    NLM
    DC