Mapping between number notations in kindergarten and the role of home numeracy

Two recent studies investigated how children learn to map between digits, number words, and
dots (Hurst, Anderson, & Cordes, 2017; Jim´enez Lira, Carver, Douglas, & LeFevre, 2017). In the
current study we aimed to replicate these previous findings by examining a much larger sample
(N = 195 kindergarteners, aged 2 years 6 months to 5 years 2 months) and taking into account
home numeracy activities, that is, daily parent-child interactions with numerical content. In line
with previous studies, the results showed that children first learn to map number words onto dots,
and number words onto digits, and only afterwards – to map digits onto dots. Furthermore,
number words ↔ digits mapping was a better mediator of the relation between digits ↔ dots and
the dots ↔ number words mapping tasks, than the dots ↔ number words, suggesting that children
rely on their symbolic number knowledge to learn the relation between digits and dots. Finally,
both basic and advanced home numeracy activities were positively related to children’s mappings
skills. Furthermore, we observed that with increasing the children’s age a shift from basic to
advanced activities was present. These results emphasize the importance of tailoring the home
numeracy activities according to children’s age.