The links between quantitative versus spatial language knowledge and numeracy skills in kindergarten children

• Published in: Cognitive development Vol. 74; p. 101560
• Main Authors: Chan, Jenny Yun-Chen, Vieites, Vanessa, Wang, Jinjing (Jenny)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.04.2025
• Subjects: Number comparison; Number line estimation; Number ordering; Numeracy skills; Quantitative language; Relational language; Spatial language; Number line estimation; Spatial language; Number ordering; Numeracy skills; Quantitative language; Number comparison; Relational language
• ISSN: 0885-2014
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cogdev.2025.101560

Relational language knowledge, including the understanding of quantitative and spatial terms, is generally associated with children’s developing numeracy skills. Still unclear, however, are the developmental trajectory and direction of the potential links between different aspects of relational language and various facets of numeracy skills. The current study used cross-lagged panel models to analyze the links between quantitative versus spatial language knowledge and facets of numeracy skills among 104 kindergarten children (5.9 years; 44 % boys; 37 % White, 25 % Black, 14 % Asian, 24 % Other), who were tested at two separate time points six weeks apart. The models revealed that, after controlling for children’s general vocabulary knowledge, their quantitative language knowledge at Time 1 predicted their number comparison skills at Time 2. In contrast, children’s number ordering skills at Time 1 predicted their spatial language knowledge at Time 2. Children’s number line estimation skills at Time 1 also predicted their spatial language knowledge at Time 2. However, when replacing general vocabulary knowledge with spatial or quantitative language knowledge as a covariate, only the link from number line estimation skills to later spatial language knowledge remained significant. Together, these results provide some evidence for the specificity and directionality of the influences between quantitative versus spatial language and facets of numeracy skills. •We tested the links between quantitative vs. spatial language and numeracy skills.•Quantitative language knowledge predicts later number comparison skills.•Number ordering skills predict later spatial language knowledge.•Number line estimation skills predict later spatial language knowledge.•Quantitative vs. spatial language relates to facets of numeracy in different ways.