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The Beginning of the Road: Learning Mathematics for the First Time

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Reading, Writing, Mathematics and the Developing Brain: Listening to Many Voices

Part of the book series: Literacy Studies ((LITS,volume 6))

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to describe how numerical knowledge is typically acquired during early childhood. We will focus on the time period between kindergarten and first grade, describing the course of children’s numerical development in this short, yet critical, period of time.

This age level is particularly intriguing since it is the first time children engage in a formal and fixed setting in which they learn and internalize the basic principles of numerical knowledge. Children at this age level are expected to learn some basic mathematical rules and concepts. They need to realize that their outside world can be organized in clear concepts of mathematical thinking and reasoning. Among these concepts are basic mathematical procedures (adding and subtracting), concepts of special numbers (such as the concept of zero) and the important associations between numerals and numerical magnitudes. During this period, individual differences can be seen in the ability to learn and execute numerical procedures.

We will discuss the up-to-date empirical evidence on typical development of numerical abilities, as well as the various factors contributing to the individual differences in the acquisition of these abilities.

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Acknowledgements

This work was conducted as part of the research in the Center for the Study of the Neurocognitive Basis of Numerical Cognition, supported by the Israel Science Foundation (grant 1664/08) in the framework of their Centers of Excellence.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology and the Zlotowski Center for Neuroscience, Ben-Gurion University, Beer Sheva, Israel

    Tamar Ben-Shalom Mrs., Andrea Berger Ph.D. & Avishai Henik Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Tamar Ben-Shalom Mrs.
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  2. Andrea Berger Ph.D.
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  3. Avishai Henik Ph.D.
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Correspondence to Tamar Ben-Shalom Mrs. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Faculty of Education, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel

    Zvia Breznitz

  2. , Dept. of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Mount Carmel, 31905, Haifa, Israel

    Orly Rubinsten

  3. , Dept. of Child, Youth & Fam. Studies, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 133 Mabel Lee Hall, Lincoln, 68588-0236, Nebraska, USA

    Victoria J. Molfese

  4. , Department of Psychology, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 321 Burnett Hall, Lincoln, 68588-0308, Nebraska, USA

    Dennis L. Molfese

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Ben-Shalom, T., Berger, A., Henik, A. (2012). The Beginning of the Road: Learning Mathematics for the First Time. In: Breznitz, Z., Rubinsten, O., Molfese, V., Molfese, D. (eds) Reading, Writing, Mathematics and the Developing Brain: Listening to Many Voices. Literacy Studies, vol 6. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-4086-0_12

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