Exploring cognitive development and mathematical learning in children
How does your mind represent numbers? We often talk about numbers as if they exist on a line—a sort of "mental ruler." This internal sense of number, known as the mental number line, is a key focus of our research. We explore the various factors that impact its development throughout childhood. Ultimately, we also explore how a number line can be used as a tool to promote children’s math learning, both at home and at school.
Our lab investigates the powerful role that language and analogy play in mathematical learning. Our projects explore this topic from multiple angles, examining the role of language in domains like arithmetic and algebra, the impact of language transparency (the structure of number words) on a child's numerical knowledge, and the use of analogy as a tool to promote a deeper understanding of complex topics such as fractions.
A child's first math classroom is often the home. This line of research investigates how family life and everyday activities impacts a child’s early numerical development. We explore how different factors—such as parents' own feelings about math, parents’ numerical-cognition knowledge, and the way numbers are involved in parent-child conversations or games playing—collectively affect a child's early math skills. Our ultimate goal is to develop evidence-based interventions that empower families to foster early mathematical learning.