Preschool counting skills and number knowledge directly predict formal arithmetic skills in primary school, together accounting for 40–46% of variance¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · associational r2 · q3
Currency · newest study 2015 · checked against its sources 2026-10-20 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q3 i? Both counting skills and number knowledge at age 4–5 predict written arithmetic efficiency at age 6–7, but phonological awareness does not. → Moll K. 2015

Evidence¶

Moll K. 2015¶

Moll K., Snowling M. J., Göbel S. M., Hulme C. (2015). Early language and executive skills predict variations in number and arithmetic skills in children at family-risk of dyslexia and typically developing controls. Learning and Instruction. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2015.03.004

q3 · i? · associational · r2

In the final longitudinal path model, counting and number knowledge at t2 predicted arithmetic efficiency at t3, "account[ing] for 46% (FR) and 40% (TD) of the variance in arithmetic at t3"; phonological awareness was not a predictor. Arithmetic was measured with timed one-minute addition and subtraction tests.

"both counting skills and number knowledge at t2 (but not phonological awareness) predict formal arithmetic skills at t3. These two variables together account for 46% (FR) and 40% (TD) of the variance in arithmetic at t3."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Operations and Place Value — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Early language and executive skills at age 3–4 predict preschool counting and number knowledge, which mediate their influence on later arithmetic — related
• Phonological awareness at age 4–5 does not predict later arithmetic skills despite being predicted by early oral language — related
• Procedural and conceptual counting knowledge each predict kindergarten arithmetic, together explaining about 25% of variance — related
• Children at family-risk of dyslexia perform more poorly than typically developing controls on the cognitive foundations of arithmetic and on arithmetic itself — related
• The same cognitive processes account for variability in arithmetic skills in children at family-risk of dyslexia and typically developing controls — related
• Kindergarten phonological awareness explains about 34% of the variance in basic numerical skills (QNC Level I) one year later — related
• Early numeracy mastery is measurable at 54 months across three competencies in a large longitudinal sample — related
• Executive skills, but not nonverbal IQ, at age 3–4 predict preschool counting and number knowledge — related
• First graders who missed kindergarten during COVID closures showed the greatest school-readiness loss in basic counting and numeracy skills against pre-pandemic cohorts: d = 0.16 after three months of closures and d = 0.23 for the cohort entering school a year later — related
• Number knowledge and numerosity discrimination are unique longitudinal predictors of arithmetic development over the first year of formal education — related
• Both number system knowledge and estimation uniquely account for variance in all three third-grade arithmetic skills independently of each other and of domain-general factors — related