Numerical competence in young children and in children with mathematics learning disabilities

Desoete, Annemie Grégoire, Jacques [UCL]

A longitudinal study was conducted on 82 children to investigate, firstly the numerical competence of young children and the predictive value of (pre)-numerical tests in kindergarten, and, secondly, whether children's knowledge of the numerical system and representation of the number size is related to their computation and logical knowledge and to their counting skills. In an additional cross-sectional study on 30 children with a clinical diagnosis of mathematical learning disability (MLD) of 8,5 years, age- and ability-matched with 2 x 30 children the same parameters of numerical competence were assessed. The longitudinal data showed individual differences in numerosity, as well as the relationship between a delay in arithmetics in grade I and problems on numerosity in kindergarten. In the cross-sectional results some evidence was found for the independence of numerical abilities in MLD-children. About 13% of them had still severe pre-numerical processing deficits (in number sequence production, cardinality skills and logical knowledge) in grade 3. About 67% had severe difficulties in executing calculation procedures and a lack of conceptual knowledge. A feature of 87% of the NILD-children was severe translation deficits, with a significantly worse knowledge of number words compared with the knowledge of Arab numerals. Finally a severe deficit in subitizing was found to be present in 33% of the MLD children. On a group level the processing deficits were linked to understanding numerosity, since the ability-matched younger children and the MLD-children had the same pre-numerical and numerical profile. Implications for the assessment of mathematical disabilities and the value of TEDI-MATH((R)) as an instrument in this process are discussed. (c) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.