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The influence of the place-value structure of the Arabic number ...

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Ansari, 2009; Halberda, Mazzocco, & Feigenson, 2009 for <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> <strong>number</strong> magnitude<br />

representation). <strong>The</strong> current data support such a view since children’s early <strong>place</strong>-<strong>value</strong><br />

understanding serves as a reliable predictor <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir later numerical / arithmetical performance<br />

(see Study 4) and also accounts for language differences concerning <strong>the</strong> transparency <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>number</strong> word systems.<br />

Acknowledging its reliable <strong>influence</strong> on numerical development a representation <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>place</strong>-<strong>value</strong> <strong>structure</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Arabic</strong> <strong>number</strong> system should be incorporated in any model<br />

capturing <strong>the</strong> development <strong>of</strong> numerical / arithmetical competencies in children. In <strong>the</strong><br />

following paragraph different models <strong>of</strong> numerical development shall be evaluated regarding<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir comprehension <strong>of</strong> <strong>place</strong>-<strong>value</strong> representations.<br />

Place-<strong>value</strong> representation in a current model <strong>of</strong> numerical development<br />

As already described in <strong>the</strong> general introduction <strong>the</strong> dominant structuring principle <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>Arabic</strong> <strong>number</strong> system apart from its ciphered nature (see Chrisomalis, 2004 and<br />

introduction for details) is <strong>the</strong> principle <strong>of</strong> <strong>place</strong>-<strong>value</strong> organization. Additionally, <strong>the</strong> results<br />

obtained in <strong>the</strong> individual studies <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> current <strong>the</strong>sis argue for an important role <strong>of</strong> <strong>place</strong><strong>value</strong><br />

information in <strong>the</strong> representation <strong>of</strong> multi-digit <strong>number</strong>s as well as for basic arithmetic<br />

involving such <strong>number</strong>s. Never<strong>the</strong>less, to <strong>the</strong> best <strong>of</strong> our knowledge <strong>the</strong>re is currently no<br />

(neuro)cognitive model <strong>of</strong> numerical development explicitly incorporating <strong>place</strong>-<strong>value</strong><br />

understanding. For instance, von Aster and Shalev (2007) proposed a four-staged<br />

developmental model <strong>of</strong> numerical cognition in which <strong>the</strong>y associated specific<br />

numerical/calculation competencies to cognitive representations underlying <strong>the</strong>se capabilities<br />

on <strong>the</strong> one hand, and to brain areas subserving <strong>the</strong>se abilities. Place-<strong>value</strong> understanding is not<br />

explicitly conceptualized within this model as well. Yet, it seems plausible to assume that<br />

<strong>place</strong>-<strong>value</strong> understanding comes into play at stages three and/or four (i.e., <strong>Arabic</strong> <strong>number</strong><br />

306

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