Counting and counting correctness recognition at children

Nadilo, Marija. (2005). Counting and counting correctness recognition at children. Diploma Thesis. Filozofski fakultet u Zagrebu, Department of Psychology. [mentor Vlahović-Štetić, Vesna].

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Abstract

The three basic principles of counting are: one-to-one principle, stable order principle and cardinal principle. The adoption aspects of counting at children surveyed in this research are successfulness at counting alone and counting correctness (correct and incorrect) recognition. In this research the three age groups of children are included: from 5 to 6, from 6 to 7 and from 7 to 8 years. Counting correctness recognition in the age function and difference between successfulness of counting and counting correctness recognition is checked. According to current researches of successfulness in understanding the principles of counting (Gelman, Meck, 1983; Briars, Siegler, 1984) and to accord with Piaget's theory of cognitive development it is expected for children over 6 years to be significantly successful in recognition of correct and incorrect counting than younger children. According to the "principle before skills" model it is expected that children are more successful in counting correctness recognition than in counting. All children passed the two different tasks: counting the elements and counting correctness recognition. In the counting situation children counted the element sets. The size of element sets (small, medium, large) and layout (array, triangle, circle, randomly) varied in the tasks. A short film is made in which the puppet Brojko counted the elements similar to the ones from the first situation as a means to check successfulness of children in counting correctness recognition. He counted the medium set only in various layouts (array, triangle, circle, randomly) and in four possible ways: all correct, disturbing each one of three principles of counting. The results showed that examined children are relative successful in counting correctness recognition and that children younger than 6 years are statistically less successful in counting correctness recognition than the older ones. Higher successfulness of children in counting than in counting correctness recognition is not to accord with the "principle before skills" model and goes on behalf to thesis of procedural knowledge development before conceptual.

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