Profiles of Preschoolers’ Numerical Abilities Across Quantity Representations

Children’s early numerical abilities shape their trajectories for math learning throughout schooling, and task quantity representation (e.g., nonsymbolic vs. symbolic) affects their reasoning about numerical concepts. The role of quantity representation in early numerical ability has typically been studied using variablecentered approaches. The present study builds on past work by using latent profile analysis as a personcentered approach to investigate heterogeneity in U.S. preschoolers’ (N = 200, M_&age = 4 years, 6 months) numerical abilities across nonsymbolic, verbal symbolic, and written symbolic representation types. The aim was to determine whether numerical ability indicators across the three representation types would result in empirically distinct ability profiles and whether preschool ability profile would predict variance on a standardized assessment of math achievement a year later, in kindergarten. We found evidence of four distinct preschool number ability profiles: (a) consistently low; (b) consistently high; (c) intermediate, with an advantage on nonsymbolic items; and (d) intermediate, with an advantage on verbal symbolic items. Although children in the consistently low and consistently high profiles performed reliably lower and higher, respectively, on the assessment of kindergarten math achievement, the two intermediate profiles performed similarly. The results reveal heterogeneity in preschool numerical ability across quantity representations and suggest that proficiency with either nonsymbolic or verbal representations may be a helpful foundation for building future math achievement. Public Significance Statement The study advances understanding about subgroups of preschoolers based on early math abilities when problems are presented with objects/pictures, words only, or numerals. Findings provide initial guidance for differentiated instruction to support learning.