Article Version of Record

Cognitive predictors of counting skills

Author(s) / Creator(s)

Koponen, Tuire
Eklund, Kenneth
Salmi, Paula

Abstract / Description

Rote counting skills have found to be a strong predictor of later arithmetic and reading fluency. However, knowledge of the underlying cognitive factors influencing counting skill is very limited. Present study examined to what extent language skills (phonology, vocabulary, and morphology), nonverbal reasoning skills, and memory at the age of five could explain counting skill at the beginning of first grade. Gender, parents’ education level and child’s persistence were included as control variables. The question was examined in a longitudinal sample (N = 101) with a structural equation model. Results showed that language skills together with memory, nonverbal reasoning skills and parent’s education explained only 22% of the variance in counting at the beginning of the first grade. Vocabulary, morphology, and verbal short-term memory were found to be interchangeable predictors, each explaining approximately 7%–9%, of counting skill. These findings challenge the interpretation of counting as a strongly language-based number skill. However, additional analysis among children with dyslexia revealed that memory and language skills, together with a child’s persistence and gender, had a rather strong predictive value, explaining 34%–46% of counting skill. Together these results suggest that verbal short-term memory and language skills at the age of five have not the same predictive value on counting skill at the beginning of school among a population-based sample as found in subjects with language impairment or learning difficulties, and thus, other cognitive factors should be taken into account in further research related to typical development of counting skill.

Keyword(s)

rote counting cognitive predictors language memory

Persistent Identifier

Date of first publication

2018-09-07

Journal title

Journal of Numerical Cognition

Volume

4

Issue

2

Page numbers

410–428

Publisher

PsychOpen GOLD

Publication status

publishedVersion

Review status

peerReviewed

Is version of

Citation

Koponen, T., Eklund, K., & Salmi, P. (2018). Cognitive predictors of counting skills. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 4(2), 410–428. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v4i2.116
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Koponen, Tuire
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Eklund, Kenneth
  • Author(s) / Creator(s)
    Salmi, Paula
  • PsychArchives acquisition timestamp
    2018-11-21T11:42:56Z
  • Made available on
    2018-11-21T11:42:56Z
  • Date of first publication
    2018-09-07
  • Abstract / Description
    Rote counting skills have found to be a strong predictor of later arithmetic and reading fluency. However, knowledge of the underlying cognitive factors influencing counting skill is very limited. Present study examined to what extent language skills (phonology, vocabulary, and morphology), nonverbal reasoning skills, and memory at the age of five could explain counting skill at the beginning of first grade. Gender, parents’ education level and child’s persistence were included as control variables. The question was examined in a longitudinal sample (N = 101) with a structural equation model. Results showed that language skills together with memory, nonverbal reasoning skills and parent’s education explained only 22% of the variance in counting at the beginning of the first grade. Vocabulary, morphology, and verbal short-term memory were found to be interchangeable predictors, each explaining approximately 7%–9%, of counting skill. These findings challenge the interpretation of counting as a strongly language-based number skill. However, additional analysis among children with dyslexia revealed that memory and language skills, together with a child’s persistence and gender, had a rather strong predictive value, explaining 34%–46% of counting skill. Together these results suggest that verbal short-term memory and language skills at the age of five have not the same predictive value on counting skill at the beginning of school among a population-based sample as found in subjects with language impairment or learning difficulties, and thus, other cognitive factors should be taken into account in further research related to typical development of counting skill.
    en_US
  • Publication status
    publishedVersion
  • Review status
    peerReviewed
  • Citation
    Koponen, T., Eklund, K., & Salmi, P. (2018). Cognitive predictors of counting skills. Journal of Numerical Cognition, 4(2), 410–428. https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v4i2.116
    en_US
  • ISSN
    2363-8761
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1294
  • Persistent Identifier
    https://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1486
  • Language of content
    eng
  • Publisher
    PsychOpen GOLD
  • Is version of
    https://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v4i2.116
  • Keyword(s)
    rote counting
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    cognitive predictors
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    language
    en_US
  • Keyword(s)
    memory
    en_US
  • Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)
    150
  • Title
    Cognitive predictors of counting skills
    en_US
  • DRO type
    article
  • Issue
    2
  • Journal title
    Journal of Numerical Cognition
  • Page numbers
    410–428
  • Volume
    4
  • Visible tag(s)
    Version of Record