Improving number abilities in low achieving preschoolers: Symbolic versus non-symbolic training programs

Publication date: June 2018
Source:Research in Developmental Disabilities, Volume 77
Author(s): Jo Van Herwegen, Hiwet Mariam Costa, Bethany Nicholson, Chris Donlan
BackgroundAlthough previous correlational studies have shown that both symbolic and non-symbolic abilities relate to mathematical abilities, correlational studies cannot show the cause and effect of these abilities for mathematical success.AimsThe current study examined the effect of a non-symbolic training program, called PLUS and a symbolic training program, called DIGIT, to provide further insight into the causal nature of domain specific factors that contribute to mathematical abilities.Methodsand Procedures: Forty-nine preschool children who had low mathematical abilities were recruited and randomly allocated to the DIGIT and PLUS training programs. Performance on a number of mathematical tasks was compared to 20 preschoolers with no mathematical difficulties.Outcomes and resultsPerformance in both training programs improved on the Test of Early Mathematical Abilities as well as on a non-symbolic Approximate Number Sense task, counting tasks, and digit recognition tasks, immediately after five weeks of training and this improvement remained six months later.Conclusions and implicationsThis study provides further evidence that symbolic and non-symbolic abilities bi-directionally impact on each other and that ordinality knowledge is an important factor of mathematical development.



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