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The contribution of logical reasoning to the learning of mathematics in primary school
Author(s) -
Nunes Terezinha,
Bryant Peter,
Evans Deborah,
Bell Daniel,
Gardner Selina,
Gardner Adelina,
Carraher Julia
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
british journal of developmental psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.062
H-Index - 75
eISSN - 2044-835X
pISSN - 0261-510X
DOI - 10.1348/026151006x153127
Subject(s) - logical reasoning , psychology , logical conjunction , working memory , mathematical logic , verbal reasoning , cognitive psychology , deductive reasoning , causal reasoning , logical consequence , cognitive science , cognition , mathematics education , artificial intelligence , computer science , neuroscience , programming language
It has often been claimed that children's mathematical understanding is based on their ability to reason logically, but there is no good evidence for this causal link. We tested the causal hypothesis about logic and mathematical development in two related studies. In a longitudinal study, we showed that (a) 6‐year‐old children's logical abilities and their working memory predict mathematical achievement 16 months later; and (b) logical scores continued to predict mathematical levels after controls for working memory, whereas working memory scores failed to predict the same measure after controls for differences in logical ability. In our second study, we trained a group of children in logical reasoning and found that they made more progress in mathematics than a control group who were not given this training. These studies establish a causal link between logical reasoning and mathematical learning. Much of children's mathematical knowledge is based on their understanding of its underlying logic.