Spontaneous focusing on numerosity and the development of early numerical skills

项目主题本研究项目将着眼于学龄前和小学阶段儿童数字技能的发展。它将探索通过非正式的以数字为基础的活动支持早期数字发展的新方法。我们从最近的研究中得知，孩子们甚至在上学之前就在数字技能上表现出了个体差异。这些差异似乎具有持久的影响，上学前的数字知识预示着整个小学和中学的数学技能。因此，揭示影响儿童早期数字发展的因素是很重要的。一个重要的因素（最近被发现）是儿童在非正式的日常环境中识别和使用数字的程度。或者，换句话说，孩子自发地关注数字的程度。研究表明，学龄前儿童自发关注数字的倾向存在个体差异，这些差异预示着当前的数字技能和以后在学校数学上的成功。这提出了一个有趣的问题，即我们是否可以通过训练孩子在非正式的日常环境中关注数字来支持早期的数字发展。研究活动本项目的研究将解决三个问题：1)为什么自发关注数字可以预测早期的数字技能？2)正规数学教学如何影响儿童自发关注数字的倾向？3)我们能否提高孩子自发关注数字的倾向？如果是这样，这是否会导致更好的数学结果？为了解决这些问题，我将进行三方面的研究：1)我将给孩子们（4-5岁）一系列的任务，旨在衡量他们的数字技能和他们自发地关注数字的程度。我将研究这些技能之间的关系，以揭示儿童自发地关注数字的倾向对数字技能有积极影响的原因。2)与欧洲各地的研究人员合作，我将研究北爱尔兰、英格兰、比利时和芬兰的学龄前儿童和小学儿童自发关注数字的程度。这些国家的儿童都在不同的年龄开始上学（并第一次接受正式的数学教学）；分别是4、5、6、7年。这为揭示正式数学教学对儿童自发关注数字倾向的影响提供了一个自然的机会。3)与幼儿园老师和家长密切合作，设计非正式的数字活动，鼓励孩子自发地关注数字。这些都是简单、低成本的活动，可以很容易地融入幼儿园的日常生活。我将通过在活动引入前后测量儿童的数字技能（以及他们自发关注数字的程度）来评估这些活动的有效性。分享研究结果该项目的研究结果将进一步加深我们对影响儿童早期数字发展因素的理论认识。它们将引起发展心理学和数学教育研究者的兴趣。我将通过期刊、会议和研讨会在国内和国际上发表研究结果。研究结果也将对早期数学教育有重要的实际应用。因此，它们将与直接参与儿童教育的人（如教师、家长）和间接参与儿童教育的人（如教育决策者）分享。我将制作各种书面出版物，包括项目通讯，教育杂志文章和教育政策报告。我还将组织全国教师研讨会，开发实用资源，包括教师包、在线播客和移动应用程序。

Project themeThis research project will look at the development of children's numerical skills in the preschool and primary school years. It will explore new ways of supporting early numerical development through informal number-based activities. BackgroundWe know from recent research that children show individual differences in numerical skills even before they start school. These differences appear to have long lasting effects, with numerical knowledge before school predicting mathematical skills throughout primary and secondary school. As such, it is important to uncover the factors which affect children's early numerical development. One important factor (which has recently been discovered) is the extent to which children recognise and use numbers in informal everyday settings. Or, in other words, the extent to which children spontaneously focus on numbers. Studies have shown that preschool children show individual differences in their tendency to spontaneously focus on numbers, and these differences predict both current numerical skills and later mathematics success in school. This raises interesting questions as to whether we can support early numerical development by training children to focus on numbers in informal everyday settings. Research activitiesThe research in this project will address three questions:1) Why does spontaneous focusing on numbers predict early numerical skills? 2) How does formal mathematics instruction affect children's tendency to spontaneously focus on numbers?3) Can we increase children's tendency to spontaneously focus on numbers? If so, does this lead to better mathematical outcomes?To address these questions I will carry out three strands of research:1) I will give children (aged 4-5 years) a range of tasks designed to measure their numerical skills and the extent to which they spontaneously focus on numbers. I will look at the strength of the relationship between these skills to uncover the reasons why children's tendency to spontaneously focus on numbers has a positive influence on numerical skills. 2) Working with researchers across Europe I will look at the extent to which children spontaneously focus on numbers in preschools and primary schools in Northern Ireland, England, Belgium and Finland. Children in these countries all start school (and are first introduced to formal mathematics instruction) at different ages; 4, 5, 6, and 7 years, respectively. This provides a natural opportunity to uncover the effect of formal mathematics instruction on children's tendency to spontaneously focus on numbers. 3) Working closely with preschool teachers and parents I will design informal number-based activities that encourage children to spontaneously focus on numbers. These will be simple, low-cost activities that can be easily integrated into everyday preschool routines. I will evaluate the effectiveness of these activities by measuring children's numerical skills (and the extent to which they spontaneously focus on numbers) before and after the activities have been introduced. Sharing findingsThe project findings will further our theoretical understanding of the factors affecting children's early numerical development. They will be of interest to researchers in developmental psychology and mathematics education. I will publish findings nationally and internationally through journals, conferences and workshops. The findings will also have important practical applications for early years mathematics education. As such, they will be shared with those involved in children's education directly (e.g. teachers, parents) and indirectly (e.g. educational policymakers). I will produce a variety of written publications including project newsletters, education magazine articles and education policy reports. I will also organise national teacher workshops and I will develop practical resources including teacher packs, online podcasts and mobile applications.