Age group differences in SFON tendency and arithmetical skills of four to seven year olds in four countries with different school starting ages

Minna Hannula-Sormunen; Sophie Batchelor; Joke Torbeyns; Victoria Simms; Cristina  Nanu; Eero Laakkonen; Bert De Smedt

doi:10.1016/j.cogdev.2023.101296

Age group differences in SFON tendency and arithmetical skills of four to seven year olds in four countries with different school starting ages

Minna Hannula-Sormunen, Sophie Batchelor, Joke Torbeyns, Victoria Simms, Cristina Nanu, Eero Laakkonen, Bert De Smedt

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

This study investigated age group differences in Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity (SFON) tendency and arithmetical skills across age groups with differing starting ages of formal mathematics instruction. Children (N = 685) aged 4–7 years participated from four countries, i.e., Northern Ireland, England, Belgium and Finland, where children start formal school at 4, 5, 6, and 7 years respectively. Children completed measures of SFON tendency, Arabic number naming, verbal arithmetic and written arithmetic. Results revealed strong age group effects for all measures and some developmental differences between SFON tendency and arithmetical skills. Whether children were, or were not, in school had a strong effect on SFON tendency but not on arithmetical skills. In the 5 and 6 years old age group, children already in school had significantly lower SFON tendency compared to those not yet in school. Within each country, when comparing consecutive age groups situated near school starting age, SFON tendency scores were similar in three out of the four countries. Results suggest both informal and formal mathematical skills need to be considered when assessing young children’s mathematical competence.

Original language	English
Article number	101296
Journal	Cognitive Development
Volume	66
Early online date	26 Jan 2023
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2023.101296
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 30 Jun 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank the participating schools, preschools, kindergartens and day care centers, and the families of children who took part in the project. They would also like to thank Jake McMullen for his help with designing the Memory Card Game, and all the research assistants who collected data for the project (Anna Alanen, Paula Alpimaa, Stacey Austin, Sarah Bamforth, Eva Brouwers, Esra Cockx, Lies De Smedt, Jennifer Finlay and Jayne Pickering). The research was supported by funding from the Economic and Social Research Council , awarded to SB ( ES/L010089/1 ), the Academy of Finland , awarded to MH-S ( 278579 ) and ( 336068 ), and the Research Fund KU Leuven ( 3H160242 ) awarded to BDS.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Authors

Keywords

Age group differences
Arithmetical skills
Early education
Formal instruction
SFON
School starting age
Young children

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.cogdev.2023.101296Licence: CC BY

Final Published VersionFinal published version, 891 KBLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Age group differences in SFON tendency and arithmetical skills of four to seven year olds in four countries with different school starting ages",

abstract = "This study investigated age group differences in Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity (SFON) tendency and arithmetical skills across age groups with differing starting ages of formal mathematics instruction. Children (N = 685) aged 4–7 years participated from four countries, i.e., Northern Ireland, England, Belgium and Finland, where children start formal school at 4, 5, 6, and 7 years respectively. Children completed measures of SFON tendency, Arabic number naming, verbal arithmetic and written arithmetic. Results revealed strong age group effects for all measures and some developmental differences between SFON tendency and arithmetical skills. Whether children were, or were not, in school had a strong effect on SFON tendency but not on arithmetical skills. In the 5 and 6 years old age group, children already in school had significantly lower SFON tendency compared to those not yet in school. Within each country, when comparing consecutive age groups situated near school starting age, SFON tendency scores were similar in three out of the four countries. Results suggest both informal and formal mathematical skills need to be considered when assessing young children{\textquoteright}s mathematical competence.",

keywords = "Age group differences, Arithmetical skills, Early education, Formal instruction, SFON, School starting age, Young children",

author = "Minna Hannula-Sormunen and Sophie Batchelor and Joke Torbeyns and Victoria Simms and Cristina Nanu and Eero Laakkonen and {De Smedt}, Bert",

note = "Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the participating schools, preschools, kindergartens and day care centers, and the families of children who took part in the project. They would also like to thank Jake McMullen for his help with designing the Memory Card Game, and all the research assistants who collected data for the project (Anna Alanen, Paula Alpimaa, Stacey Austin, Sarah Bamforth, Eva Brouwers, Esra Cockx, Lies De Smedt, Jennifer Finlay and Jayne Pickering). The research was supported by funding from the Economic and Social Research Council , awarded to SB ( ES/L010089/1 ), the Academy of Finland , awarded to MH-S ( 278579 ) and ( 336068 ), and the Research Fund KU Leuven ( 3H160242 ) awarded to BDS. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023 The Authors",

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AU - Torbeyns, Joke

AU - Simms, Victoria

AU - Nanu, Cristina

AU - Laakkonen, Eero

AU - De Smedt, Bert

N1 - Funding Information: The authors would like to thank the participating schools, preschools, kindergartens and day care centers, and the families of children who took part in the project. They would also like to thank Jake McMullen for his help with designing the Memory Card Game, and all the research assistants who collected data for the project (Anna Alanen, Paula Alpimaa, Stacey Austin, Sarah Bamforth, Eva Brouwers, Esra Cockx, Lies De Smedt, Jennifer Finlay and Jayne Pickering). The research was supported by funding from the Economic and Social Research Council , awarded to SB ( ES/L010089/1 ), the Academy of Finland , awarded to MH-S ( 278579 ) and ( 336068 ), and the Research Fund KU Leuven ( 3H160242 ) awarded to BDS. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors

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N2 - This study investigated age group differences in Spontaneous Focusing on Numerosity (SFON) tendency and arithmetical skills across age groups with differing starting ages of formal mathematics instruction. Children (N = 685) aged 4–7 years participated from four countries, i.e., Northern Ireland, England, Belgium and Finland, where children start formal school at 4, 5, 6, and 7 years respectively. Children completed measures of SFON tendency, Arabic number naming, verbal arithmetic and written arithmetic. Results revealed strong age group effects for all measures and some developmental differences between SFON tendency and arithmetical skills. Whether children were, or were not, in school had a strong effect on SFON tendency but not on arithmetical skills. In the 5 and 6 years old age group, children already in school had significantly lower SFON tendency compared to those not yet in school. Within each country, when comparing consecutive age groups situated near school starting age, SFON tendency scores were similar in three out of the four countries. Results suggest both informal and formal mathematical skills need to be considered when assessing young children’s mathematical competence.

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KW - Formal instruction

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KW - School starting age

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M1 - 101296

ER -

Age group differences in SFON tendency and arithmetical skills of four to seven year olds in four countries with different school starting ages

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

UN SDGs

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