La representación de la magnitud y la ejecución en matemáticas en niños de 5 años

Abstract

The numerical and mathematics skills are critical predictors of academic success. In current studies it has been questioned what numerical skills relate with mathematical achievement: whether the non-symbolic numerical magnitudes processing, the symbolic magnitudes processing, or the projection of one into the other. In the current study a sample of 146 kindergarten children pupils was taken. They completed a non-symbolic numerical comparison task, a symbolic numerical comparison task and a mapping task between symbols and magnitudes (dot enumeration), as well as two standardized mathematical performance test (TEMA-3 and TEMT). Moreover, general cognitive skills such as intelligence, processing speed, memory span and visuo-spatial memory, were controlled. To test whether the variables of number processing predict in the absence of the above predictors, it were conducted two hierarchical regression analysis. On the one hand we took the TEMA-3 as a dependent variable. The model explained 47 % of the variance (F(8,136) = 15.066, p<.0001). But only the symbolic magnitudes comparison and the projection task contributed to the mathematical achievement variance in absence of the control variables. On the other hand, we took the TEMT as a dependent variable and another hierarchical regression analysis were conducted. This model explain the 36 % of the variance (F(8,136) = 9.58, p<.0001) and only the non-symbolic magnitude comparison task contributed significantly (β = -.141, p<.05). This indicates that results vary depending on the variables and the measures that are taken into account, so it would be very important to know which variables predict mathematics performance the best.