Understanding of number concepts in low attaining 7-9 year olds: Part I. Development of descriptive framework and diagnostic instrument

Abstract

Three studies were carried out into the development of number concepts in pupils aged 7 to 9 years who were considered to be 'low attainers' in mathematics. This paper reports the search for a descriptive framework, the development of a diagnostic assessment instrument and a longitudinal study. A subsequent paper (Denvir and Brown, 1986) reports two teaching studies. Support was found for the two main hypotheses namely that: (i) A framework can be identified which describes the orders in which children acquire number concepts (ii) This framework can be used to develop a diagnostic assessment instrument which will provide a description of pupils' understanding of number. The aspects of number which were considered were counting, addition, subtraction and place value. The number skills which children had grasped were inferred from solutions and strategies offered by them to questions posed in a series of interviews. © 1986 D. Reidel Publishing Company.