Journal Articles

Young children's number sense in Finland, Hong Kong and Singapore

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Title:
Young children's number sense in Finland, Hong Kong and Singapore
Authors:
Source:
International Journal of Early Years Education, 12(3), 195-216, 2004
Publisher:
Routledge
Year Published:
2004
Education Categories:
Keywords:
Foreign Countries Young Children Number Concepts Numeracy Testing Mathematics Skills Comparative Analysis Sex Differences Age
Region:
- Hong Kong
- Singapore
- Finland
Period:
- 1997.7 onwards
Level:
- Pre-Primary Education
Abstract:
This study examines young children's number sense in subjects from Finland (n=254), Hong Kong (n= 246), and Singapore (n = 130). Chinese, English and Finnish versions of the Early Numeracy Test (ENT; Van Luit et al, 1994) were used. Two highly correlated aspects of number sense were measured, one reflecting children's abilities to organize and compare quantities (i.e. relational skills), and the other pertaining to their ability to operate with number-word sequence (i.e. counting skills). The results showed significant age-related gain on the relational and counting scales. No gender or language differences were found. The children in Hong Kong and Singapore outperformed those in Finland in relational and counting tasks starting at the age of four years. The children in Singapore also had better relational and counting skills than those in Hong Kong. Differences in teaching were assumed to explain the findings.
[Copyright of International Journal of Early Years Education is the property of Routledge. Full article may be available at the publisher's website:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/0966976042000268681]
Language:
- English
Document Type:
Journal Articles
ISSN:
- 09669760
DOI:
- 10.1080/0966976042000268681
Permalink:
https://bibliography.lib.eduhk.hk/en/bibs/5b5e8ef3
Entry Date:
2010-09-27