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Early predictors of middle school fraction knowledge
Author(s) -
Bailey Drew H.,
Siegler Robert S.,
Geary David C.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
developmental science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.801
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1467-7687
pISSN - 1363-755X
DOI - 10.1111/desc.12155
Subject(s) - psychology , fraction (chemistry) , cognition , domain knowledge , knowledge level , mathematics education , contrast (vision) , reading (process) , number sense , cognitive development , cognitive psychology , developmental psychology , computer science , artificial intelligence , linguistics , chemistry , organic chemistry , neuroscience , philosophy
Recent findings that earlier fraction knowledge predicts later mathematics achievement raise the question of what predicts later fraction knowledge. Analyses of longitudinal data indicated that whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction magnitudes in middle school, controlling for whole number arithmetic proficiency, domain general cognitive abilities, parental income and education, race, and gender. Similarly, knowledge of whole number arithmetic in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction arithmetic in middle school, controlling for whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade and the other control variables. In contrast, neither type of early whole number knowledge uniquely predicted middle school reading achievement. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of numerical development and for improving mathematics learning.