Language Effects in Early Development of Number Writing and Reading

Authors

  • Anna F. Steiner Orcid
    Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria; FH JOANNEUM, University of Applied Sciences, Graz, Austria
  • Sabrina Finke
    Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
  • Francina J. Clayton Orcid
    Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United Kingdom
  • Chiara Banfi Orcid
    Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria; Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Documentation, Medical University of Graz, Graz, Austria
  • Ferenc Kemény Orcid
    Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria
  • Silke M. Göbel Orcid
    Department of Psychology, University of York, York, United Kingdom; Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
  • Karin Landerl Orcid
    Institute of Psychology, University of Graz, Graz, Austria; BioTechMed-Graz, Graz, Austria; Department of Cognitive Science, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Abstract

Reading and writing multidigit numbers requires accurate switching between Arabic numbers and spoken number words. This is particularly challenging in languages with number-word inversion such as German (24 is pronounced as four-and-twenty), as reported by Zuber, Pixner, Moeller, and Nuerk (2009, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2008.04.003). The current study aimed to replicate the qualitative error analysis by Zuber et al. and further extended their study: 1) A cross-linguistic (German, English) analysis enabled us to differentiate between language-dependent and more general transcoding challenges. 2) We investigated whether specific number structures influence accuracy rates. 3) To consider both transcoding directions (from Arabic numbers to number words and vice versa), we assessed performance for number reading in addition to number writing. 4) Our longitudinal design allowed us to investigate transcoding development between Grades 1 and 2. We assessed 170 German- and 264 English-speaking children. Children wrote and read the same set of 44 one-, two- and three-digit numbers, including the same number structures as Zuber et al. For German, we confirmed that a high amount of errors in number writing was inversion-related. For English, the percentage of inversion-related errors was very low. Accuracy rates were strongly related to number syntax. The impact of number structures was independent of transcoding direction or grade level and revealed cross-linguistic challenges of transcoding multidigit numbers. For instance, transcoding of three-digit numbers containing syntactic zeros (e.g., 109) was significantly more accurate than transcoding of items with lexical zeros (e.g., 190). Based on our findings, we suggest adaptations of current transcoding models.