Math Talk in Play Contexts: Relations Between Parent and Child Math Language and Early Math Skills.
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| Title: | Math Talk in Play Contexts: Relations Between Parent and Child Math Language and Early Math Skills. |
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| Authors: | Huang, Hsin-Hui1 (AUTHOR) hsinhui@ntunhs.edu.tw |
| Source: | Early Childhood Education Journal. Oct2025, Vol. 53 Issue 7, p2719-2729. 11p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Mathematics education, *Child development, *Mathematical ability, *Parent-child relationships, *Play environments, Geometry, Mathematical notation |
| Abstract: | Math language plays a crucial role in early math skill development. However, previous studies have measured math language using children's knowledge or the environmental input of mathematical language, often limiting the scope to specific types of mathematical language. This study examined both numerical (e.g., number-related) and non-numerical (e.g., geometry, measurement, and spatial relations) mathematical expressions used by parents and young children during play and explored how combinations of these math language types related to early math skills. Fifty-eight children aged four to six years and their parents participated in laboratory-based tasks, including a 15-minute play session and a standardized math assessment. The results showed that numerical and non-numerical expressions were used at similar frequencies, and there were strong correlations between parents' and children's math language across various types. Mediation analyses revealed that children's use of math language mediated the relation between the mathematical input they received and their early math skills, but this effect emerged only when advanced numerical and geometry language was considered. These findings emphasize the significance of children's active use of math language and highlight the need to integrate numerical and non-numerical content in research on early mathematical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Early Childhood Education Journal is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Abstract: | Math language plays a crucial role in early math skill development. However, previous studies have measured math language using children's knowledge or the environmental input of mathematical language, often limiting the scope to specific types of mathematical language. This study examined both numerical (e.g., number-related) and non-numerical (e.g., geometry, measurement, and spatial relations) mathematical expressions used by parents and young children during play and explored how combinations of these math language types related to early math skills. Fifty-eight children aged four to six years and their parents participated in laboratory-based tasks, including a 15-minute play session and a standardized math assessment. The results showed that numerical and non-numerical expressions were used at similar frequencies, and there were strong correlations between parents' and children's math language across various types. Mediation analyses revealed that children's use of math language mediated the relation between the mathematical input they received and their early math skills, but this effect emerged only when advanced numerical and geometry language was considered. These findings emphasize the significance of children's active use of math language and highlight the need to integrate numerical and non-numerical content in research on early mathematical development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
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| ISSN: | 10823301 |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10643-024-01783-w |
