Ann Dowker – författare

Arithmetic is still hugely important in many aspects of modern life, but our personal attitudes to it differ greatly. Many people struggle with the basic principles of arithmetic, whilst others love it and feel confident in their arithmetical abilities. Why are there so many individual differences in people’s performance in, and feelings about, arithmetic? Individual Differences in Arithmetic explores the idea that there is no such thing as arithmetical ability, only arithmetical abilities. The book discusses several important components of arithmetic, from counting principles and procedures to arithmetical estimation, alongside emotional and cognitive components of arithmetical performance. This edition has been extensively revised to include the latest research, including recent cross-cultural and cross-linguistic research, the development of new interventions for children with difficulties and studies of early foundations of mathematical abilities. Drawing on developmental, educational, cognitive and neuropsychological studies, this book will be essential reading for all researchers of mathematical cognition. It will also be of interest to educators and other professionals working within individuals with arithmetic deficits.

Feelings of apprehension and fear brought on by mathematical performance can affect correct mathematical application and can influence the achievement and future paths of individuals affected by it. In recent years, math anxiety has become a subject of increasing interest both in educational and clinical settings. This ground-breaking collection presents theoretical, educational and psychophysiological perspectives on the widespread phenomenon of mathematics anxiety.Featuring contributions from leading international researchers, Mathematics Anxiety challenges preconceptions and clarifies several crucial areas of research, such as the distinction between math anxiety from other forms of anxiety (i.e., general or test anxiety); the ways in which math anxiety has been assessed (e.g., throughout self-report questionnaires or psychophysiological measures); the need to clarify the direction of the relationship between math anxiety and mathematics achievement (which causes which). Offering a re-evaluation of the negative connotations usually associated with math anxiety and prompting avenues for future research, this book will be invaluable to academics and students in the psychological and educational sciences, as well as teachers working with students who are struggling with math anxiety.

Feelings of apprehension and fear brought on by mathematical performance can affect correct mathematical application and can influence the achievement and future paths of individuals affected by it. In recent years, math anxiety has become a subject of increasing interest both in educational and clinical settings. This ground-breaking collection presents theoretical, educational and psychophysiological perspectives on the widespread phenomenon of mathematics anxiety.Featuring contributions from leading international researchers, Mathematics Anxiety challenges preconceptions and clarifies several crucial areas of research, such as the distinction between math anxiety from other forms of anxiety (i.e., general or test anxiety); the ways in which math anxiety has been assessed (e.g., throughout self-report questionnaires or psychophysiological measures); the need to clarify the direction of the relationship between math anxiety and mathematics achievement (which causes which). Offering a re-evaluation of the negative connotations usually associated with math anxiety and prompting avenues for future research, this book will be invaluable to academics and students in the psychological and educational sciences, as well as teachers working with students who are struggling with math anxiety.

This volume focuses on two related questions that are central to both the psychology of mathematical thinking and learning and to the improvement of mathematics education:What is the nature of arithmetic expertise?How can instruction best promote it? Contributors from a variety of specialities, including cognitive, developmental, educational, and neurological psychology; mathematics education; and special education offer theoretical perspectives and much needed empirical evidence about these issues.As reported in this volume, both theory and research indicate that the nature of arithmetic expertise and how to best promote it are far more complex than conventional wisdom and many scholars, past and present, have suggested. The results of psychological, educational, and clinical studies using a wide range of arithmetic tasks and populations (including "normally" and atypically developing children, non-injured and brain-injured adults, and savants) all point to the same conclusion: The heart of arithmetic fluency, in general, and the flexible and creative use of strategies, in particular, is what is termed "adaptive expertise" (meaningful or conceptually based knowledge). The construction of adaptive expertise in mathematics is, for the first time, examined across various arithmetic topics and age groups.This book will be an invaluable resource for researchers and graduate students interested in mathematical cognition and learning (including mathematics educators, developmental and educational psychologists, and neuropsychologists), educators (including teachers, curriculum supervisors, and school administrators), and others interested in improving arithmetic instruction (including officials in national and local education departments, the media, and parents).

This volume focuses on two related questions that are central to both the psychology of mathematical thinking and learning and to the improvement of mathematics education:What is the nature of arithmetic expertise?How can instruction best promote it? Contributors from a variety of specialities, including cognitive, developmental, educational, and neurological psychology; mathematics education; and special education offer theoretical perspectives and much needed empirical evidence about these issues.As reported in this volume, both theory and research indicate that the nature of arithmetic expertise and how to best promote it are far more complex than conventional wisdom and many scholars, past and present, have suggested. The results of psychological, educational, and clinical studies using a wide range of arithmetic tasks and populations (including "normally" and atypically developing children, non-injured and brain-injured adults, and savants) all point to the same conclusion: The heart of arithmetic fluency, in general, and the flexible and creative use of strategies, in particular, is what is termed "adaptive expertise" (meaningful or conceptually based knowledge). The construction of adaptive expertise in mathematics is, for the first time, examined across various arithmetic topics and age groups.This book will be an invaluable resource for researchers and graduate students interested in mathematical cognition and learning (including mathematics educators, developmental and educational psychologists, and neuropsychologists), educators (including teachers, curriculum supervisors, and school administrators), and others interested in improving arithmetic instruction (including officials in national and local education departments, the media, and parents).