Impact of language experience on early numerical cognition

早期的数学熟练程度与较晚的数学成绩、更一般的学业成就以及就业成功有关。聋哑儿童一进幼儿园就已经在数学上落后了。在社会经济层面，这意味着这些儿童没有进入与STEM相关的领域，这些领域被视为劳动力的日益增长的部分和持续经济发展的引擎。在这个项目中，该团队将调查早期的语言经历如何影响基础数字技能的获得。该项目探讨了从出生起就使用视觉语言(例如美国手语)如何支持早期数字技能的获得，以及语言接触的延迟如何影响这些基础理解。这项研究的结果将为使用视觉语言的儿童的教学、标准化测试和补救提供信息，但也可以为更广泛地干预学习数学困难的儿童打开新的机会，包括学习障碍的学生大约120名接触语言(ASL或英语)最佳的三到五岁儿童和完全接触语言的延迟儿童将每六个月接受一次计数顺序、近似数字比较和确切数字概念的测试。还将评估儿童对数字信息的自发关注，并接受语言和智商的标准化测试。家长将回答一项关于他们孩子的语言使用和家庭语言的全面调查。儿童将被跟踪大约两年，或直到他们达到熟练的计数，即他们理解基数原则。通过比较三组的表现和发展进程，将有可能评估语言经验的影响，并确定语言的全面接触延迟如何影响这些基本概念的发展。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Early proficiency in math is related to later math performance, and more general academic achievement, as well as employment success. Deaf children already lag behind in math upon entrance in kindergarten. At the socio-economic level, this means these children are not entering STEM-related fields which are seen as a growing part of the workforce and an engine for continued economic development. In this project, the team will investigate how early language experiences can impact the acquisition of foundational number skills. The project explores how the use of a visual language (e.g., American Sign Language) from birth can support the acquisition of early number skills as well as how a delay in language exposure can impact these foundational understandings. Results from this study will inform teaching, standardized testing, and remediation for children using a visual language but can also open new opportunities more broadly for intervention in children struggling to learn mathematics, including students with learning disabilities Approximately 120 three to five year-old children with optimal exposure to language (either ASL or English) and children with delayed full access to language, will be tested every six months on the counting sequence, approximate numerosity comparison, and exact number concepts. Children will also be evaluated for their spontaneous focusing on numerical information and undertake standardized tests for language and IQ. Parents will answer a comprehensive survey on their child's language use and in-home language. Children will be followed for approximately two years or until they reach proficiency in counting, that is they understand the cardinality principle.By comparing performance and the developmental progression of the three groups, it will be possible to evaluate the impact of language experience and determine how a delay in full access to language can affect the development of these foundational conceptsThis 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.