초등학교 2학년 아동의 대략적 수 민감도와 영역 별 수학 성취도 간의 관계에 대한 단기 종단 연구

초록

Approximate number sense (ANS) refers to the ability to approximately estimate and operate upon large numerosity. There have been reports on the correlation between ANS acuity and mathematical achievement supporting the hypothesis that ANS serves as a basic foundation for formal mathematical achievement. However, previous developmental studies mainly focused on ‘Number Concept’ and ‘Arithmetic’ scores and did not differentiate between different domains of mathematics. Therefore, the current study investigated whether the relationship between ANS acuity and math ability differs by the domain of mathematics. In addition, we aimed to test the argument raised by some researchers stating that the relationship between ANS acuity and mathematical achievement is entirely mediated by cognitive control ability. Second graders were tested twice on their ANS acuity and math achievement with a 3-month interval. A number comparison task using a pair of dot arrays was used to measure ANS acuity. ANS acuity was significantly correlated with ‘Number Concept & Arithmetic’ at both testing periods. ‘Geometry’ was significantly correlated with ANS acuity in the second testing session but not in the first. On the other hand, ANS measured under high requirement for cognitive control did not correlate with any measure of math achievement. These results demonstrate that the correlation between ANS and math achievement can be generalized to mathematical domains including ‘Number Concept’, ‘Arithmetic’ and ‘Geometry’. Furthermore, the relationship between ANS acuity and mathematical achievement does not seem to be mediated by cognitive control ability in any domain of mathematics.

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