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Effects of elaborative prompt condition and developmental level on performance of addition problems by kindergarten children

University of British Columbia

The purpose of the present study was to examine the possibility that an elaborative process (Rohwer, 1973) may be used by young children in the performance of addition. The effects of elaborative Prompt Condition (Concrete plus Verbal, Imaginal plus Verbal, Verbal Only) and Described Relation (Dynamic, Static) on the performance of addition word problems of the form m+n=_, were examined with 108 kindergarten children at three Developmental Levels (Conservers, Transitionals , Nonconservers). Three counting models children may use to solve addition word problems, were also examined. An analysis of the number of correct responses revealed that overall, Conservers performed significantly better than Transitionals and Nonconservers, who did not differ from each other. At each Developmental Level children performed best under the Concrete plus Verbal Prompt Condition. When performance on items where m>n was compared with m<n, Conservers and Nonconservers performed differently under the Imaginal plus Verbal Condition as compared with Verbal Only. The effect of Described Relation was significant for two of the nine Developmental Level x Prompt Condition groups. More correct responses were observed under the Static than Dynamic Described Relation. The results for the. counting models tentatively suggested that, for. all Developmental Levels., latencies under the Concrete plus Verbal Prompt Condition were related to the least efficient of the three models tested. For Conservers and Transitionals combined, latencies were related to the most efficient counting model under the Imaginal plus Verbal Prompt Condition, and to the least efficient model under the Verbal Only Prompt Condition. The results suggest that an elaborative process may be used by kindergarten children in the solution of addition word problems. This process may be activated by different prompts, depending on the developmental level of the child. Implications of the findings for further research, as well as for the educational setting, are discussed.

Text

2010-02-10

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/20013

Educational Psychology

University of British Columbia

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