Language Access is a Catalyst for Early Numerical Abilities

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Science
• Speech and Hearing Sciences

Background:

• Early numerical abilities are crucial for academic success.
• Previous research suggests auditory language exposure influences early math skills.
• Differences in numerical abilities exist between hearing and Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing (DHH) preschoolers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To replicate and extend findings on the relationship between auditory language access and early numerical abilities.
• To investigate the role of language ability and the salience of numerical information in oral DHH and hearing children.
• To explore these relationships in a larger sample of 3- to 6-year-old children.

Main Methods:

• A larger sample of 89 oral DHH and hearing children (ages 3-6) participated.
• Children completed tasks assessing number knowledge and numerical discrimination.
• Parent-reported vocabulary and language experience were collected, alongside measures of numerical information salience.

Main Results:

• Oral DHH children showed lower performance on numerical tasks and vocabulary compared to hearing peers.
• Disparities in numerical abilities between groups disappeared when controlling for language experience.
• The salience of numerical information was comparable across both groups.

Conclusions:

• Cumulative auditory language access is a key factor in early numerical development.
• Language experience, rather than hearing status alone, explains differences in numerical abilities.
• Interventions should focus on enhancing language experience to support mathematical development in DHH children.