Family influence on the development of number processing skills in preschool children

Abstract

Introduction: competence in mathematics is related to the development of basic skills for number processing (symbolic and non-symbolic) from early stages of development and before formal schooling. There is evidence that the home environment provides experiences that facilitate the acquisition of specific math-related skills. Objective: to identify activities and relationship styles present in the family setting that are good predictors of numerical processing and arithmetic performance in Cuban preschool children. Method: between September and November 2019, 82 Cuban preschoolers and their parents were evaluated through a non-experimental transactional study, with a descriptive-correlational nature. The instruments used were the Numeracy Screener and Parent Questionnaire, both adapted to the Cuban context at the Centro de Neurociencias de Cuba. Results: the development of specific skills for basic numerical processing, in symbolic and non-symbolic format, significantly predicted mathematical performance in the sample studied. It was confirmed that the presence in the family of relationship styles and activities that include numerical and quantitative content favors the development of numerical processing skills in preschool children. Conclusions: among the most significant factors found were: parental education, their experiences and attitudes towards mathematics and the frequency with which they share formal numerical practices with their children at home.

Keywords

• influencia familiar
• procesamiento numérico simbólico
• procesamiento numérico no simbólico
• niños preescolares