Assessment of the Knowledge of the Decimal Number System Exhibited by Students with Down Syndrome

Abstract

This paper presents an assessment of the understanding of the decimal numeral system in students with Down Syndrome (DS). We followed a methodology based on a descriptive case study involving six students with DS. We used a framework of four constructs (counting, grouping, partitioning and numerical relationships) and five levels of thinking for each one. The results of this study indicate the variability of the six students in the five levels and in their mastery of the constructs. The grouping construct, which is essential to a proper development of the others, proved complex for the students. In general, we found that these students have a better procedural than conceptual understanding. However, the skills displayed by two of the students in the study group are encouraging with a view to advancing the number knowledge of these individuals.

Discriminating Quantity: New Points for Teaching Children with Down Syndrome About Number?

“…This pattern has also been found in typically developing children on an identical task (Author 1998). In a review of research, Abdelhameed (2007) concluded that many children with Down syndrome experience difficulties in counting and the evidence points to the role of language and memory; a similar conclusion to a later review by King, Powell, Lemons and Davidson (2017) and consistent with the experiences of Noda and Bruno (2017) and Abreu-Mendoza and Aria-Trejo (2017). Abdelhameed (2007) also however questioned whether a further factor was the lack of a rich counting environment coupled with low teacher expectations.…”

Early numeracy profiles in young children with intellectual disabilities: The role of cognitive functions

“…Nevertheless, research evidence seems to be scarce in terms of early numeracy profiles in young children with intellectual disabilities (Sermier Dessemontet et al, 2020;Schnepel et al, 2020). Existing published research in the field has focused on exploring early numeracy in young children with intellectual disabilities (Brodeur et al, 2013;Brigstocke et al, 2008;Camos, 2009;Charitaki et al, 2014aCharitaki et al, , 2014bCharitaki et al, , 2015Clarke & Faragher, 2014;Herrera et al, 2010;King et al, 2017;Lanfranchi et al, 2015;Noda & Bruno, 2017;Porter, 2019Porter, , 2018Porter, , 1999 through a variable-centered approach, assuming that all participants from the sample are represented only by a single population through estimated "averaged" parameters. However, a drawback of this approach is the possibility that the sample might include multiple subpopulations characterized by different sets of parameters (Howard, & Hoffman, 2018;Morin, et al, 2016).…”