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 memoryPersistent 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
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Koponen, Tuire
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Eklund, Kenneth
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Author(s) / Creator(s)Salmi, Paula
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PsychArchives acquisition timestamp2018-11-21T11:42:56Z
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Made available on2018-11-21T11:42:56Z
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Date of first publication2018-09-07
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Abstract / DescriptionRote 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
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Publication statuspublishedVersion
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Review statuspeerReviewed
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CitationKoponen, 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.v4i2.116en_US
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ISSN2363-8761
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Persistent Identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12034/1294
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Persistent Identifierhttps://doi.org/10.23668/psycharchives.1486
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Language of contenteng
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PublisherPsychOpen GOLD
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Is version ofhttps://doi.org/10.5964/jnc.v4i2.116
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Keyword(s)rote countingen_US
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Keyword(s)cognitive predictorsen_US
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Keyword(s)languageen_US
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Keyword(s)memoryen_US
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Dewey Decimal Classification number(s)150
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TitleCognitive predictors of counting skillsen_US
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DRO typearticle
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Issue2
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Journal titleJournal of Numerical Cognition
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Page numbers410–428
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Volume4
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Visible tag(s)Version of Record