{"title":"Associations between early numeracy and mathematics-specific vocabulary","authors":"Hanrie S. Bezuidenhout","doi":"10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1191","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"2018), isiZulu and Sesotho first-graders who learn mathematics in their second language (i.e. English) were assessed to investigate, amongst others, associations between their performance on numeracy and mathematics-specific vocabulary assessments. Significant associations were found between their numeracy and mathematics-specific vocabulary, Background: Early numeracy development is supported by linguistic features such as mathematics-specific vocabulary. Researchers have established a link between the amount and quality of children’s exposure to mathematics-specific vocabulary and their numeracy learning. Studies have also shown that children from low socio-economic status are less exposed to mathematics-specific vocabulary and also tend to underperform on mathematics assessments. South African children consistently perform poorly on local and international mathematics assessments. Aim: To describe associations between numeracy and mathematics-specific vocabulary of the sample who participated in the study. Setting: Participants in this study are from Quintile 1 schools and receive social grants from the South African government. Method: 133 Grade 1 and 2 children completed assessments for (1) early numeracy (MARKO-D SA), (2) mathematics-specific vocabulary (MMLT) and (3) early reading (EGRA). Correlation analyses were conducted to investigate associations between variables and developmental continuity of number concept development and reading skills were described. Results: An association between numeracy and mathematics-specific vocabulary was found. The data confirm that number concepts and reading skills develop hierarchically. Although English-speaking children performed better on the numeracy assessment, isiZulu and Sesotho speakers performed better on the reading test. Conclusion: Mathematics-specific vocabulary is a key tool for early number concept development, also in isiZulu and Sesotho. Teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) should include how number concept development intersects with mathematics-specific vocabulary. Explicit teaching of mathematics-specific vocabulary should be included in the Foundation Phase curriculum.","PeriodicalId":55958,"journal":{"name":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.8000,"publicationDate":"2022-08-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"3","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"South African Journal of Childhood Education","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v12i1.1191","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"EDUCATION & EDUCATIONAL RESEARCH","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 3
Abstract
2018), isiZulu and Sesotho first-graders who learn mathematics in their second language (i.e. English) were assessed to investigate, amongst others, associations between their performance on numeracy and mathematics-specific vocabulary assessments. Significant associations were found between their numeracy and mathematics-specific vocabulary, Background: Early numeracy development is supported by linguistic features such as mathematics-specific vocabulary. Researchers have established a link between the amount and quality of children’s exposure to mathematics-specific vocabulary and their numeracy learning. Studies have also shown that children from low socio-economic status are less exposed to mathematics-specific vocabulary and also tend to underperform on mathematics assessments. South African children consistently perform poorly on local and international mathematics assessments. Aim: To describe associations between numeracy and mathematics-specific vocabulary of the sample who participated in the study. Setting: Participants in this study are from Quintile 1 schools and receive social grants from the South African government. Method: 133 Grade 1 and 2 children completed assessments for (1) early numeracy (MARKO-D SA), (2) mathematics-specific vocabulary (MMLT) and (3) early reading (EGRA). Correlation analyses were conducted to investigate associations between variables and developmental continuity of number concept development and reading skills were described. Results: An association between numeracy and mathematics-specific vocabulary was found. The data confirm that number concepts and reading skills develop hierarchically. Although English-speaking children performed better on the numeracy assessment, isiZulu and Sesotho speakers performed better on the reading test. Conclusion: Mathematics-specific vocabulary is a key tool for early number concept development, also in isiZulu and Sesotho. Teachers’ pedagogical content knowledge (PCK) should include how number concept development intersects with mathematics-specific vocabulary. Explicit teaching of mathematics-specific vocabulary should be included in the Foundation Phase curriculum.