Brenda Smith-Chant | Trent University (original) (raw)
Papers by Brenda Smith-Chant
Butterworth (1999; 2005) proposed that several component abilities support our numerical represen... more Butterworth (1999; 2005) proposed that several component abilities support our numerical representations and processes: an innate capacity to represent small numerosities (indexed by subitizing), fine motor ability (indexed here by finger tapping), and the ability to mentally represent one's fingers (indexed by finger gnosia). In the current paper, we evaluated the predictive power of these component abilities in the development of numeration and calculation skills in Grade 1 children (N = 146). Each component ability was found to be a significant unique predictor of number system knowledge, which in turn was related to calculation skill. Finger gnosia was related to calculation skill indirectly through number system knowledge. In contrast, subitizing predicted calculation skill both directly and indirectly through number system knowledge. Our results support Butterworth's view of the foundations of numeracy and have implications for the early identification of children at r...
Many thanks go out to the members of the Advisory Committee for their time, their advice, and the... more Many thanks go out to the members of the Advisory Committee for their time, their advice, and their input into this kit.
Many thanks go out to the members of the Advisory Committee for their time, their advice, and the... more Many thanks go out to the members of the Advisory Committee for their time, their advice, and their input into this kit.
... Cirino, PT, Morris, MK, & Morris, RD (2002). Neu-ropsychological concomitants of calculat... more ... Cirino, PT, Morris, MK, & Morris, RD (2002). Neu-ropsychological concomitants of calculationskills in college students referred for learning difficulties. Developmental Neuropsychology, 21, 201218. Cohen, L., Dehaene, S., Cochon, F., Lehericy, S., & Naccache, L.(2000). ...
Reframed - A Journal of Self-Reg, 2017
Reframed - A Journal of Self-Reg, 2017
International Journal of Nursing Studies, 2016
Background: Public health nurses use parent education programmes to support individuals' transiti... more Background: Public health nurses use parent education programmes to support individuals' transition to parenthood. A wide array of these programmes exists; however, the approach must be accommodated by resources available in a publicly funded system. For example, some new-parent education approaches use 1:1 home visiting (with a nurse or trained lay-home visitor) but the costs of this intensive approach can be prohibitive. Because of this limitation there is an interest in identifying effective and efficient new parent educational approaches that can realistically be provided at a universal level. Unfortunately, there is a lack of high-quality evaluation identifying programmes or educational processes that meet these criteria. Objectives: To identify potentially effective new-parenting education interventions that could be implemented at a population level during the transition to parenthood period. Design: Realist synthesis. Data sources: Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, grey literature. Review methods: A realist review method generated a total of 72 papers that were used to inform the results. A three-pronged approach was used incorporating an initial search (6), a database search using applicable keywords and MeSH headings (58), and review of literature identified by advisory group (8 grey literature). An 'implementation chain' was developed to outline the overall logic and process behind parent education interventions and to guide the analysis. Results: Seventy-two papers informed this review: 13 systematic reviews/meta-analyses, 34 intervention studies, 9 opinion papers, 8 programme reviews, and 8 grey literature reports. There was no compelling evidence to suggest that a single educational programme or delivery format was effective at a universal level. Some inherent issues were identified. For example, adult learning principles were overlooked and theories of parent-child interaction were not in evidence. No direct links between universal new-parent education programmes and child development outcomes were established. Programme reach and attrition were key challenges. Programme evaluation criteria were inconsistent, with an over-reliance on parent satisfaction or self-reported intention to change behaviour. There was evidence that effective facilitators helped increase parents' perceived satisfaction with programmes.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2015
In the current study, we adopted the Pathways to Mathematics model of LeFevre et al. (2010). In t... more In the current study, we adopted the Pathways to Mathematics model of LeFevre et al. (2010). In this model, there are three cognitive domains-labeled as the quantitative, linguistic, and working memory pathways-that make unique contributions to children's mathematical development. We attempted to refine the quantitative pathway by combining children's (N = 141 in Grades 2 and 3) subitizing, counting, and symbolic magnitude comparison skills using principal components analysis. The quantitative pathway was examined in relation to dependent numerical measures (backward counting, arithmetic fluency, calculation, and number system knowledge) and a dependent reading measure, while simultaneously accounting for linguistic and working memory skills. Analyses controlled for processing speed, parental education, and gender. We hypothesized that the quantitative, linguistic, and working memory pathways would account for unique variance in the numerical outcomes; this was the case for backward counting and arithmetic fluency. However, only the quantitative and linguistic pathways (not working memory) accounted for unique variance in calculation and number system knowledge. Not surprisingly, only the linguistic pathway accounted for unique variance in the reading measure. These findings suggest that the relative
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 2011
Preschoolers with spina bifida (SB) were compared to typically developing (TD) children on tasks ... more Preschoolers with spina bifida (SB) were compared to typically developing (TD) children on tasks tapping mathematical knowledge at 36 months (n = 102) and 60 months of age (n = 98). The group with SB had difficulty compared to TD peers on all mathematical tasks except for transformation on quantities in the subitizable range. At 36 months, vocabulary knowledge, visual–spatial, and fine motor abilities predicted achievement on a measure of informal math knowledge in both groups. At 60 months of age, phonological awareness, visual–spatial ability, and fine motor skill were uniquely and differentially related to counting knowledge, oral counting, object-based arithmetic skills, and quantitative concepts. Importantly, the patterns of association between these predictors and mathematical performance were similar across the groups. A novel finding is that fine motor skill uniquely predicted object-based arithmetic abilities in both groups, suggesting developmental continuity in the neuroc...
Child Development, 2010
A model of the relations among cognitive precursors, early numeracy skill, and mathematical outco... more A model of the relations among cognitive precursors, early numeracy skill, and mathematical outcomes was tested for 182 children from 4.5 to 7.5 years of age. The model integrates research from neuroimaging, clinical populations, and normal development in children and adults. It includes 3 precursor pathways: quantitative, linguistic, and spatial attention. These pathways (a) contributed independently to early numeracy skills during preschool and kindergarten and (b) related differentially to performance on a variety of mathematical outcomes 2 years later. The success of the model in accounting for performance highlights the need to understand the fundamental underlying skills that contribute to diverse forms of mathematical competence.
To enquire about document delivery, contact the IDRC Library at reference@idrc.ca or at 613-236-6... more To enquire about document delivery, contact the IDRC Library at reference@idrc.ca or at 613-236-6163 ext. 2578. / Pour plus de renseignements sur la livraison de documents, veuillez communiquer avec la bibliothèque du CRDI à reference@idrc.ca ou composer le ...
Author(s): Penner-Wilger, Marcie; Fast, Lisa; LeFevre, Jo-Anne; Smith-Chant, Brenda L.; Skwarchuk... more Author(s): Penner-Wilger, Marcie; Fast, Lisa; LeFevre, Jo-Anne; Smith-Chant, Brenda L.; Skwarchuk, Sheri-Lynn; Kamawar, Deepthi; Bisnaz, Jeffrey
Applied nursing research : ANR, 2017
Social connections are important during the transition to parenthood. A wide body of literature s... more Social connections are important during the transition to parenthood. A wide body of literature suggests that these connections enhance health and contribute to wellbeing. In the case of parents and families, social connections can influence child development. Nurses and public health agencies are in a unique position to advocate for resources and approaches to enhance social connectivity for parents during this important life transition. The aim of this review was to identify the universal social connectivity interventions that work, and the conditions that foster social connections for parents and enhance child development. The review was undertaken as part of a larger research project to inform the question: What are the population-level interventions that public health can implement to promote social, emotional and cognitive development from the prenatal period to the end of the first year of life? Social connectivity is one of three domains that were explored in the full study....
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2013
We examined the role of executive attention, which encompasses the common aspects of executive fu... more We examined the role of executive attention, which encompasses the common aspects of executive function and executive working memory, in children's acquisition of two aspects of mathematical skill: (a) knowledge of the number system (e.g., place value) and of arithmetic procedures (e.g., multi-digit addition) and (b) arithmetic fluency (i.e., speed of solutions to simple equations such as 3 + 4 and 8 À 5). Children in Grades 2 and 3 (N = 157) completed executive attention and mathematical tasks. They repeated the mathematical tasks 1 year later. We used structural equation modeling to examine the relations between executive attention and (a) concurrent measures of mathematical knowledge and arithmetic fluency and (b) growth in performance on these measures 1 year later. Executive attention was concurrently predictive of both knowledge and fluency but predicted growth in performance only for fluency. A composite language measure predicted growth in knowledge from Grade 2 to Grade 3. The results support an important role for executive attention in children's acquisition of novel procedures and the development of automatic access to arithmetic facts.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2015
In the current study, we adopted the Pathways to Mathematics model of . In this model, there are ... more In the current study, we adopted the Pathways to Mathematics model of . In this model, there are three cognitive domains-labeled as the quantitative, linguistic, and working memory pathways-that make unique contributions to children's mathematical development. We attempted to refine the quantitative pathway by combining children's (N = 141 in Grades 2 and 3) subitizing, counting, and symbolic magnitude comparison skills using principal components analysis. The quantitative pathway was examined in relation to dependent numerical measures (backward counting, arithmetic fluency, calculation, and number system knowledge) and a dependent reading measure, while simultaneously accounting for linguistic and working memory skills. Analyses controlled for processing speed, parental education, and gender. We hypothesized that the quantitative, linguistic, and working memory pathways would account for unique variance in the numerical outcomes; this was the case for backward counting and arithmetic fluency. However, only the quantitative and linguistic pathways (not working memory) accounted for unique variance in calculation and number system knowledge. Not surprisingly, only the linguistic pathway accounted for unique variance in the reading measure. These findings suggest that the relative http://dx.
Butterworth (1999; 2005) proposed that several component abilities support our numerical represen... more Butterworth (1999; 2005) proposed that several component abilities support our numerical representations and processes: an innate capacity to represent small numerosities (indexed by subitizing), fine motor ability (indexed here by finger tapping), and the ability to mentally represent one's fingers (indexed by finger gnosia). In the current paper, we evaluated the predictive power of these component abilities in the development of numeration and calculation skills in Grade 1 children (N = 146). Each component ability was found to be a significant unique predictor of number system knowledge, which in turn was related to calculation skill. Finger gnosia was related to calculation skill indirectly through number system knowledge. In contrast, subitizing predicted calculation skill both directly and indirectly through number system knowledge. Our results support Butterworth's view of the foundations of numeracy and have implications for the early identification of children at r...
Many thanks go out to the members of the Advisory Committee for their time, their advice, and the... more Many thanks go out to the members of the Advisory Committee for their time, their advice, and their input into this kit.
Many thanks go out to the members of the Advisory Committee for their time, their advice, and the... more Many thanks go out to the members of the Advisory Committee for their time, their advice, and their input into this kit.
... Cirino, PT, Morris, MK, & Morris, RD (2002). Neu-ropsychological concomitants of calculat... more ... Cirino, PT, Morris, MK, & Morris, RD (2002). Neu-ropsychological concomitants of calculationskills in college students referred for learning difficulties. Developmental Neuropsychology, 21, 201218. Cohen, L., Dehaene, S., Cochon, F., Lehericy, S., & Naccache, L.(2000). ...
Reframed - A Journal of Self-Reg, 2017
Reframed - A Journal of Self-Reg, 2017
International Journal of Nursing Studies, 2016
Background: Public health nurses use parent education programmes to support individuals' transiti... more Background: Public health nurses use parent education programmes to support individuals' transition to parenthood. A wide array of these programmes exists; however, the approach must be accommodated by resources available in a publicly funded system. For example, some new-parent education approaches use 1:1 home visiting (with a nurse or trained lay-home visitor) but the costs of this intensive approach can be prohibitive. Because of this limitation there is an interest in identifying effective and efficient new parent educational approaches that can realistically be provided at a universal level. Unfortunately, there is a lack of high-quality evaluation identifying programmes or educational processes that meet these criteria. Objectives: To identify potentially effective new-parenting education interventions that could be implemented at a population level during the transition to parenthood period. Design: Realist synthesis. Data sources: Medline, CINAHL, ERIC, PsycINFO, Sociological Abstracts, grey literature. Review methods: A realist review method generated a total of 72 papers that were used to inform the results. A three-pronged approach was used incorporating an initial search (6), a database search using applicable keywords and MeSH headings (58), and review of literature identified by advisory group (8 grey literature). An 'implementation chain' was developed to outline the overall logic and process behind parent education interventions and to guide the analysis. Results: Seventy-two papers informed this review: 13 systematic reviews/meta-analyses, 34 intervention studies, 9 opinion papers, 8 programme reviews, and 8 grey literature reports. There was no compelling evidence to suggest that a single educational programme or delivery format was effective at a universal level. Some inherent issues were identified. For example, adult learning principles were overlooked and theories of parent-child interaction were not in evidence. No direct links between universal new-parent education programmes and child development outcomes were established. Programme reach and attrition were key challenges. Programme evaluation criteria were inconsistent, with an over-reliance on parent satisfaction or self-reported intention to change behaviour. There was evidence that effective facilitators helped increase parents' perceived satisfaction with programmes.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2015
In the current study, we adopted the Pathways to Mathematics model of LeFevre et al. (2010). In t... more In the current study, we adopted the Pathways to Mathematics model of LeFevre et al. (2010). In this model, there are three cognitive domains-labeled as the quantitative, linguistic, and working memory pathways-that make unique contributions to children's mathematical development. We attempted to refine the quantitative pathway by combining children's (N = 141 in Grades 2 and 3) subitizing, counting, and symbolic magnitude comparison skills using principal components analysis. The quantitative pathway was examined in relation to dependent numerical measures (backward counting, arithmetic fluency, calculation, and number system knowledge) and a dependent reading measure, while simultaneously accounting for linguistic and working memory skills. Analyses controlled for processing speed, parental education, and gender. We hypothesized that the quantitative, linguistic, and working memory pathways would account for unique variance in the numerical outcomes; this was the case for backward counting and arithmetic fluency. However, only the quantitative and linguistic pathways (not working memory) accounted for unique variance in calculation and number system knowledge. Not surprisingly, only the linguistic pathway accounted for unique variance in the reading measure. These findings suggest that the relative
Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, 2011
Preschoolers with spina bifida (SB) were compared to typically developing (TD) children on tasks ... more Preschoolers with spina bifida (SB) were compared to typically developing (TD) children on tasks tapping mathematical knowledge at 36 months (n = 102) and 60 months of age (n = 98). The group with SB had difficulty compared to TD peers on all mathematical tasks except for transformation on quantities in the subitizable range. At 36 months, vocabulary knowledge, visual–spatial, and fine motor abilities predicted achievement on a measure of informal math knowledge in both groups. At 60 months of age, phonological awareness, visual–spatial ability, and fine motor skill were uniquely and differentially related to counting knowledge, oral counting, object-based arithmetic skills, and quantitative concepts. Importantly, the patterns of association between these predictors and mathematical performance were similar across the groups. A novel finding is that fine motor skill uniquely predicted object-based arithmetic abilities in both groups, suggesting developmental continuity in the neuroc...
Child Development, 2010
A model of the relations among cognitive precursors, early numeracy skill, and mathematical outco... more A model of the relations among cognitive precursors, early numeracy skill, and mathematical outcomes was tested for 182 children from 4.5 to 7.5 years of age. The model integrates research from neuroimaging, clinical populations, and normal development in children and adults. It includes 3 precursor pathways: quantitative, linguistic, and spatial attention. These pathways (a) contributed independently to early numeracy skills during preschool and kindergarten and (b) related differentially to performance on a variety of mathematical outcomes 2 years later. The success of the model in accounting for performance highlights the need to understand the fundamental underlying skills that contribute to diverse forms of mathematical competence.
To enquire about document delivery, contact the IDRC Library at reference@idrc.ca or at 613-236-6... more To enquire about document delivery, contact the IDRC Library at reference@idrc.ca or at 613-236-6163 ext. 2578. / Pour plus de renseignements sur la livraison de documents, veuillez communiquer avec la bibliothèque du CRDI à reference@idrc.ca ou composer le ...
Author(s): Penner-Wilger, Marcie; Fast, Lisa; LeFevre, Jo-Anne; Smith-Chant, Brenda L.; Skwarchuk... more Author(s): Penner-Wilger, Marcie; Fast, Lisa; LeFevre, Jo-Anne; Smith-Chant, Brenda L.; Skwarchuk, Sheri-Lynn; Kamawar, Deepthi; Bisnaz, Jeffrey
Applied nursing research : ANR, 2017
Social connections are important during the transition to parenthood. A wide body of literature s... more Social connections are important during the transition to parenthood. A wide body of literature suggests that these connections enhance health and contribute to wellbeing. In the case of parents and families, social connections can influence child development. Nurses and public health agencies are in a unique position to advocate for resources and approaches to enhance social connectivity for parents during this important life transition. The aim of this review was to identify the universal social connectivity interventions that work, and the conditions that foster social connections for parents and enhance child development. The review was undertaken as part of a larger research project to inform the question: What are the population-level interventions that public health can implement to promote social, emotional and cognitive development from the prenatal period to the end of the first year of life? Social connectivity is one of three domains that were explored in the full study....
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2013
We examined the role of executive attention, which encompasses the common aspects of executive fu... more We examined the role of executive attention, which encompasses the common aspects of executive function and executive working memory, in children's acquisition of two aspects of mathematical skill: (a) knowledge of the number system (e.g., place value) and of arithmetic procedures (e.g., multi-digit addition) and (b) arithmetic fluency (i.e., speed of solutions to simple equations such as 3 + 4 and 8 À 5). Children in Grades 2 and 3 (N = 157) completed executive attention and mathematical tasks. They repeated the mathematical tasks 1 year later. We used structural equation modeling to examine the relations between executive attention and (a) concurrent measures of mathematical knowledge and arithmetic fluency and (b) growth in performance on these measures 1 year later. Executive attention was concurrently predictive of both knowledge and fluency but predicted growth in performance only for fluency. A composite language measure predicted growth in knowledge from Grade 2 to Grade 3. The results support an important role for executive attention in children's acquisition of novel procedures and the development of automatic access to arithmetic facts.
Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 2015
In the current study, we adopted the Pathways to Mathematics model of . In this model, there are ... more In the current study, we adopted the Pathways to Mathematics model of . In this model, there are three cognitive domains-labeled as the quantitative, linguistic, and working memory pathways-that make unique contributions to children's mathematical development. We attempted to refine the quantitative pathway by combining children's (N = 141 in Grades 2 and 3) subitizing, counting, and symbolic magnitude comparison skills using principal components analysis. The quantitative pathway was examined in relation to dependent numerical measures (backward counting, arithmetic fluency, calculation, and number system knowledge) and a dependent reading measure, while simultaneously accounting for linguistic and working memory skills. Analyses controlled for processing speed, parental education, and gender. We hypothesized that the quantitative, linguistic, and working memory pathways would account for unique variance in the numerical outcomes; this was the case for backward counting and arithmetic fluency. However, only the quantitative and linguistic pathways (not working memory) accounted for unique variance in calculation and number system knowledge. Not surprisingly, only the linguistic pathway accounted for unique variance in the reading measure. These findings suggest that the relative http://dx.