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Symbolic arithmetic knowledge without instruction

Author

Listed:
  • Camilla K. Gilmore

    (Learning Sciences Research Institute, University of Nottingham, Wollaton Road, Nottingham NG8 1BB, UK)

  • Shannon E. McCarthy

    (Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA)

  • Elizabeth S. Spelke

    (Harvard University, 33 Kirkland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA)

Abstract

Sum hope: catch them young It is commonly assumed that young children need to master the logic of number systems before learning symbolic arithmetic. Now a trial using 5-year-old children suggests that in fact they have symbolic arithmetic knowledge before they have received any arithmetic instruction. The children are capable of solving symbolic addition and subtraction problems with large numbers, provided that only approximate sums and differences must be computed. These findings shed light on the numerical competences that come naturally to children, and suggest ways to enrich children's learning of mathematics.

Suggested Citation

  • Camilla K. Gilmore & Shannon E. McCarthy & Elizabeth S. Spelke, 2007. "Symbolic arithmetic knowledge without instruction," Nature, Nature, vol. 447(7144), pages 589-591, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:447:y:2007:i:7144:d:10.1038_nature05850
    DOI: 10.1038/nature05850
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    Cited by:

    1. Curren Katz & André Knops, 2014. "Operational Momentum in Multiplication and Division?," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 9(8), pages 1-10, August.
    2. Yulia Kuzmina & Tatiana Tikhomirova & Irina Lysenkova & Sergey Malykh, 2020. "Domain-general cognitive functions fully explained growth in nonsymbolic magnitude representation but not in symbolic representation in elementary school children," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(2), pages 1-23, February.
    3. Peter Rumney & Joy Buttress & Iryna Kuksa, 2016. "Seeing, Doing, Writing," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(1), pages 21582440166, February.
    4. Lukowski, Sarah L. & Rosenberg-Lee, Miriam & Thompson, Lee A. & Hart, Sara A. & Willcutt, Erik G. & Olson, Richard K. & Petrill, Stephen A. & Pennington, Bruce F., 2017. "Approximate number sense shares etiological overlap with mathematics and general cognitive ability," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 67-74.

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