Counting Skills and Number Concepts of Students with Moderate Intellectual Disabilities

Laaya Bashash*, Lynne Outhred, Sandra Bochner

*Corresponding author for this work

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    23 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    A systematic study was carried out to investigate the basic counting and number skills, and the strategies used in counting and number tasks of students with moderate intellectual disabilities at different age levels. Using Fuson's (1988, 1992) number-word model, students' understanding and use of number words were examined in four situations (sequence, counting, cardinal, and symbol). Thirty students with moderate intellectual disabilities (IQ of 36-54) aged between 7 and 18 years were interviewed individually and their counting skills and concepts of number assessed by various number tasks. Results showed a significant difference between the three age groups on all the number skills assessed. Specifically, the learning pattern for the sequence of number-words and the kinds of correspondence errors made were similar to those of students with normal intelligence; one-to-one correspondence and stable-order principles were used and the cardinal principle was understood. Recommendations were made concerning the education of students with moderate intellectual disabilities in aspects of numeracy.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)325-345
    Number of pages21
    JournalInternational Journal of Disability, Development and Education
    Volume50
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - Sept 2003

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