Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate individual differences in mathematical problem-solving among 3- to 5-year-old children (N = 328; n 3-year-olds = 115, n 4-year-olds = 167, n 5-year-olds = 46). First, we examined the extent to which children in this age group were able to solve open and closed non-routine mathematical problems representing a variety of mathematical domains. Second, we investigated the extent to which underlying academic and cognitive skills (i.e., expressive and receptive language, visuospatial, and early numeracy skills) were associated with individual differences in mathematical problem-solving concurrently and longitudinally (i.e., one year later). The results showed that 4- to 5-year-olds were able to solve a variety of non-routine mathematical problems. However, though 3-year-olds were also able to solve a variety of problems, the mathematical problem-solving measure did not meet the reliability criteria, resulting in excluding 3-year-olds from further analyses. Expressive and receptive language, visuospatial, and early numeracy skills were associated with mathematical problem-solving concurrently among 4-year-olds. Among 5-year-olds, only visuospatial and early numeracy skills were associated with mathematical problem-solving. Furthermore, only prior mathematical problem-solving skills and early numeracy skills predicted mathematical problem-solving skills longitudinally. These findings indicate that preschoolers are able to solve open and closed non-routine mathematical problems representing a variety of mathematical domains. Additionally, individual differences may stem not only from differences in mathematical problem-solving skills but also from early numeracy.
| Original language | English |
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| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | International Journal of Early Childhood |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Jun 2023 |
| MoE publication type | A1 Journal article-refereed |
Funding
Open Access funding provided by University of Helsinki including Helsinki University Central Hospital. This study is a part of a project funded by The Finnish Cultural Foundation (FCM) and the Ministry of Education and Culture for a three-year period. The first author's work was funded by The Doctoral Programme in School, Education, Society and Culture (SEDUCE) at University of Helsinki.