Impact of language experience on early numerical cognition

早期对数学的熟练程度与后来的数学表现、更普遍的学术成就以及就业成功有关。聋哑儿童在进入幼儿园时就已经在数学方面落后了。在社会经济层面，这意味着这些孩子不会进入stem相关领域，而这些领域被视为劳动力中日益增长的一部分，也是经济持续发展的引擎。在这个项目中，团队将调查早期语言经验如何影响基本数字技能的获得。该项目探讨了从出生开始使用视觉语言（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本理解。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，但也可以为学习数学困难的儿童（包括有学习障碍的学生）提供更广泛的干预机会。大约120名3至5岁的儿童（最佳接触语言（美国手语或英语））和延迟完全接触语言的儿童，将每六个月进行一次计数序列测试。近似数值比较，和精确的数字概念。还将评估儿童对数字信息的自发关注，并进行语言和智商的标准化测试。家长将回答一份关于孩子语言使用和家庭语言的综合调查。孩子们将被跟踪大约两年，或者直到他们熟练地计数，也就是说，他们理解了基数原则。通过比较三个小组的表现和发展进程，将有可能评估语言经验的影响，并确定完全获得语言的延迟如何影响这些基本概念的发展。该奖项反映了国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值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.