The Role of Number Naming Systems and Numeracy Experiences in the Development of Early Numeracy Knowledge.

摘要

Children learn numeracy skills earlier and more successfully in languages with a regular number naming system (e.g., Chinese) than in those with a less regular system (e.g., English). However, most of the regular languages tested so far are spoken in East Asia (cf. Welsh), where mathematics achievement is highly valued and children spend considerable time practicing numeracy skills. The influence of number naming systems and numeracy experiences on young children's early numeracy knowledge was rarely explored together and none of the existing studies explored children's numeracy learning trajectory.;In summary, the findings of this thesis supported the view that regular number naming systems facilitate the learning of rote counting. However, numeracy experiences are also relevant in comparisons of children's other numeracy knowledge in different languages. Future research is needed to establish whether children's rote counting knowledge in regular, semi-regular, and irregular systems give rise to later performance differences.;Across four studies, the rote counting and early numeracy skills of Chinese-, Turkish-, and English-speaking children were compared to explore the role of number naming systems and numeracy experiences in children's numeracy knowledge and skills. The Turkish number naming system is more regular and predictable than English in the teens (and thus like Chinese), but equivalent to English from 20 onwards and less regular than Chinese. Children's cognitive skills were equivalent across groups. However, both Chinese- (Study 1) and English-speaking children (Study 2) outperformed their Turkish-speaking peers in all numeracy tasks. The only exception was that in Study 2, English and Turkish-speaking children's rote counting knowledge did not differ (n = 145, 58 English-speaking). Relations were found between children's numeracy knowledge, parents' reported academic expectations, and frequency of home numeracy activities. Both spoken language and home numeracy experiences predicted children's numeracy knowledge (rote counting and numeration in Study 1, number recognition and numeration in Study 3). In Study 4, Turkish- and English-speaking children who could not count up to 20 (n = 75, 30 English-speaking) were exposed to numeracy training and children's learning trajectory was assessed over a 6-week period. Turkish-speaking children's rote counting and numeration skills improved more than those of English-speaking children.