The Role Of Domain Specific Rational Number Components And The Domain General Component of Attention in Math

There has been much research into cognitive predictors of math ability and the role of attention in math. However, most of this research has evaluated attention through behavioral report measures. Less information is available regarding the role of cognitive attention skills for math outcomes, or how attention is contextualized alongside key domain specific predictors of math such as magnitude. In particular, for math outcomes beyond whole numbers, magnitude measures that incorporate rational number knowledge are important. In this study, we use a model developed by DeWolf et al., (2015) to investigate individual contributions of magnitude per se, conceptual relational understanding, and their combination, fraction estimation. Evaluating these relations is important to provide a better view of what predicts complex math performance as well as potentially guide future curriculum and intervention decisions. The goal of this study was to gain insight into the relative roles of these predictors for different types of math performance. Therefore, the current study investigated the role of aspects of external attention (alongside behavioral attention), contextualized against number line estimation, for computational and fraction performance, in a sample of English language learners in seventh and eighth grade (n = 93). We found that math fluency was significantly predicted by fraction estimation. Math computation performance was significantly predicted by math fluency and behavioral attention. Finally, procedural fraction knowledge was predicted by fraction estimation and fraction relations but not magnitude per se. The results reinforce fraction relations as a critical component for math and demonstrates the mutual support of both procedural and conceptual skill. The results of this study advance understanding of rational number development and the role of external attention in mathematics, as an example of the domain specific versus general debate. This study also informs future curricular and intervention decisions related for children struggling with fraction performance.Psychology, Department o