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Concurrent and longitudinal predictors of calculation skills in preschoolers

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Abstract

Early calculation abilities in preschoolers are predictive of mathematics achievement in subsequent grades (e.g., Jordan et al. 2009). Two studies were conducted to evaluate concurrent and longitudinal predictors of early calculation skills. In the first study, 102 preschoolers (57.8 % female; mean age = 60.57 ± 8.66 months) were given vocabulary, language comprehension, and verbal working memory tasks and a test battery that evaluated components of early number competence (quantity comparison, counting, number line, size seriation, semantic knowledge of digits, visual-spatial memory). The children were also asked to complete early calculation tasks, including addition and subtraction calculations. The results of this task constituted the dependent variable. The results showed that vocabulary, size seriation, and visual-spatial memory were significant concurrent predictors of early calculation competence. In the second study, 43 children completed the early number competence battery at time 1 (53.5 % female; mean age = 59.30 ± 3.46 months) and the linguistic and early calculation tasks at time 2, about 10 months later (mean age = 69.43 ± 3.31 months). The analysis of the longitudinal predictors of early calculation showed significant effects for counting and size seriation. The implications for preschool assessment and intervention are discussed.

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Correspondence to Valentina Tobia.

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Valentina Tobia, Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell’ Ateneo Nuovo, 1, 20126 Milan, Italy. E-mail: valentina.tobia@unimib.it, www.psicologia.unimib.it

Current themes of research:

My research interest concerns developmental psychology, with a focus on specific learning difficulties. Currently, I’m focusing my research on development of reading and math ability in typical and atypical population and on treatment of specific learning disorders.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Tobia, V., & Bonifacci, P. (early view). The Simple View of Reading in a transparent orthography: The stronger role of oral comprehension. Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal. doi:10.1007/s11145-015-9556-1

Bonifacci, P., Storti, M., Tobia, V., & Suardi, A. (early view). Specific Learning Disabilities: a look inside children’s and parents’ psychological wellbeing and relationships. Journal of Learning Disabilities. doi:10.1177/0022219414566681

Tobia, V., Fasola, A., Lupieri, A., & Marzocchi, G. M. (early view). Numerical magnitude representation in children with mathematical difficulties with or without reading difficulties. Journal of Learning Disabilities. doi:10.1177/0022219414529335

Tobia, V., & Marzocchi, G. M. (2014). Cognitive Profiles of Italian Children With Developmental Dyslexia. Reading Research Quarterly, 49(4), 437-452. doi:10.1002/rrq.77

Tobia, V., & Marzocchi, G.M. (2014). Predictors of reading fluency in Italian orthography: Evidence from a cross-sectional study of primary school students. Child neuropsychology, 20(4), 449-469. doi:10.1080/09297049.2013.814768

Paola Bonifacci, Department of Psychology, University of Bologna, Viale Berti Pichat, 5, 40127 Bologna, Italy. E-mail: paola.bonifacci@unibo.it, www.psicologia.unibo.it

Current Themes of Research:

Prevention and diagnosis of Learning Disabilities: development of assessment tools for early diagnosis and prevention of Specific Learning Disabilities. Intelligence and cognitive functioning: Studies on intelligence measurement and relation with other cognitive and emotional indexes in typical and atypical populations. Eye-movements and cognitive-emotional integration: Eye movement patterns and SCR responses are considered indexes of cognitive and affective processing. Bilingualism: research on the “bilingual advantage”, development of verbal and non-verbal tasks to assess anticipation, inhibition and cognitive control in bilinguals

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Bonifacci, P., Cappello, G., & Bellocchi, S. (2012). Linguaggio e cognizione: implicazioni dal bilinguismo/ Language and cognition: Implications from bilingualism.. Rivista italiana di filosofia del linguaggio, 5, 7-21.

Bonifacci p., contento s. (2009). Reading and comprehension in children with adhd: an online analysis through eye-movements. Rivista di psicolinguistica applicata, 9(3), 117-130.

Bonifacci, P., Ricciardelli, P., Lugli, L., Pellicano, A. (2008). Emotional attention: effects of emotion and gaze direction on overt orienting of visual attention. Cognitive processing, 9, 127-135.

Bonifacci, P. & Snowling, M. (2008). Speed of processing and reading disability: a cross-linguistic investigation of dyslexia and borderline intellectual functioning cognition. Cognition, 107, 999-1017.

Bonifacci, P., Borlimi, R., Ottaviani, C., & Contento, S. (2006). Happiness cannot be ignored: A study on emotion recognition through eye movements. Psychophysiology, 43, S26 - S26 (atti di: Psychophysiology, Lisbona, 21-24, 2005).

Gian Marco Marzocchi, Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Piazza dell’ Ateneo Nuovo, 1, 20126 Milan, Italy. Centro per l’Età Evolutiva, Via Giuseppe Verdi, 24121 Bergamo, Italy. E-mail: gianmarco.marzocchi@unimib.it, www.psicologia.unimib.it

Current Themes of Research:

Cognitive profile of children with learning disorders and Attention and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), cognitive tests to differentiate children with ADHD compared to other developmental disorders (especially specific learning disabilities), therapeutic intervention with children with behavior disorders.

Most relevant publications in the field of Psychology of Education:

Frigerio, A., Montali, L., & Marzocchi GM (2014). Italian Teachers’ Knowledge and Perception of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). International Journal of School & Educational Psychology, 2(2), 1-12.

Dentella, L., Marion, L., Ornaghi, S., & Marzocchi G.M. (2013). Difficoltà di gestione di una classe quinta di scuola primaria: il ruolo dell’insegnante in un intervento psico-educativo/ Difficulties in managing a classo f 5th graders: The role of the teacher in a psycho-educational intervention. Disturbi di Attenzione e Iperattività, 8(2), 179-194.

Marzocchi, G.M., Ornaghi, S., & Barboglio, S. (2009). What are the causes of the attention deficits observed in children with dyslexia?. Neuropsychology, development, and cognition. Section C, Child neuropsychology, 15(6), 567-581.

Shallice, T., Marzocchi, G.M., Coser, S., Del Savio, M., Meuter, R.F., & Rumiati, R.I. (2002). Executive function profile of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Developmental Neuropsychology, 21(1), 43-71.

Cornoldi, C., Marzocchi, G.M., Belotti, M., Caroli, M.G., De Meo, T., & Braga, C. (2001). Working Memory Interference Control Deficit in Children Referred by Teachers for ADHD Symptoms. Child Neuropsychology, 7(4), 230-240.

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Tobia, V., Bonifacci, P. & Marzocchi, G.M. Concurrent and longitudinal predictors of calculation skills in preschoolers. Eur J Psychol Educ 31, 155–174 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-015-0260-y

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