Numerical Intuition Training as a Potential Tool to Improve Children's Math Skills

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Early mathematics learning for children provides the foundation for multiple Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) interests and careers. However, early math experiences in school and at home differ dramatically among children. This project explores whether the numerical intuition that children possess before they learn formal mathematics can be harnessed to improve math performance. Two studies will examine the connections between children's informal numerical intuition and formal mathematics. The first study includes pre-school children performing addition and subtraction. The second study includes upper elementary children, the understanding of ratios and how this relates to fractions. An important question for mathematics teaching and learning is how to connect intuitive aspects of quantitative reasoning with the use of math symbols to represent numbers and operations. This project is supported by NSF's EHR Core Research (ECR) program. The ECR program emphasizes fundamental STEM education research that generates foundational knowledge in the field.The broad goal of the project is to assess whether training with non-symbolic mathematical operations facilitates performance on the equivalent symbolic operations. Prior research suggests that primitive number sense is foundational for symbolic mathematics. The first study examines addition and subtraction in pre-school children. Children are shown how to combine dot arrays in an imprecise approximation of addition and subtraction to assess whether this improves symbolic addition and subtraction performance. The second study examines ratio reasoning in second and fourth grade students. This study investigates whether training with non-symbolic, approximate ratio reasoning facilitates symbolic manipulation of ratios and how this relates to children's knowledge of fractions. Both studies use an experimental design with randomized assignment of children to training conditions and include pre-test and post-test assessments of mathematical knowledge (including symbolic and non-symbolic representations of number) and executive function.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.