Question 1

All of the following are associated with children being good writers in the sense of having a goal for writing, taking the perspective of the reader, and organizing their thoughts except

Accepted Answer

Good penmanship is not directly associated with the cognitive aspects of writing such as having a goal, considering the reader's perspective, or organizing thoughts. These skills are more related to the content and structure of writing, whereas penmanship is about the physical act of writing.

Question 2

Which of the following is not a reason why many children in Chinese schools perform better than children in most American schools in math?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is not a...

Question 3

In regard to math, males are more likely than females

Accepted Answer

Research shows that males are more likely than females to be among the very best and the very worst performers in math. This phenomenon is often referred to as the "male variability hypothesis."

Question 4

What percentage of school-age children have specific disabilities in mathematics?

Accepted Answer

Studies suggest that approximately 10% of school-age children have specific disabilities in mathematics.

Question 5

A study that assessed arithmetic calculations by unschooled 9- and 15-year-old Brazilian street vendors found that the children answered questions presented as business transactions correctly

Accepted Answer

The study found that the children answered questions presented as business transactions correctly 98% of the time, demonstrating their practical arithmetic skills in real-world contexts despite lack of formal education.

Question 6

One important reason for the advantage that many Asian children have over Americans in mathematics is that

Accepted Answer

Studies have shown that many Asian children excel in math due to their strong work ethic and emphasis on practice and repetition. It is common for Asian children to spend more time practicing math problems and receiving extra help outside of school. In contrast, American children may not receive as much practice or may have more distractions from other curricular or extracurricular activities.

Question 7

Which addition strategy do children develop first?

Accepted Answer

The sum strategy is typically the first addition strategy that children develop. This strategy involves counting all of the objects, fingers, or other relevant quantities and then stating the total sum. It is a basic strategy that lays the foundation for more complex addition strategies to come.

Question 8

Which mathematical skill do children develop first?

Accepted Answer

Children typically begin by using counting words like "one, two, three" before they fully understand the concept of numbers and counting on objects.

Question 9

Which math strategy involves starting with the larger addend and then counting up from there to obtain the sum?

Accepted Answer

The min strategy involves starting with the larger addend and then counting up from there to obtain the sum.

Question 10

Why are children more likely to correctly solve math problems that they encounter in a real-world context than problems that are presented in a formal school context?

Accepted Answer

Real-world problems have consequences that children can relate to and understand better. They are motivated to solve them to avoid negative consequences or achieve positive ones. Formal school context problems, on the other hand, may be seen as abstract and disconnected from their everyday lives.

Question 11

Which math strategy requires the least mental effort?

Accepted Answer

The fact-retrieval strategy involves recalling multiplication tables, addition facts, and other math facts from memory, which requires the least mental effort compared to the other strategies. Counting involves visualizing and physically counting objects, while the sum strategy and decomposition require higher-level thinking and problem-solving skills.

Question 12

Which mathematical skill do children develop last?

Accepted Answer

The concept of conservation, or knowing that an amount stays the same even when objects are rearranged, is typically the last mathematical skill that young children develop. This usually occurs around the age of 6 or 7 years old.

Question 13

Which of the following is not true of gender differences in math?

Accepted Answer

Females scoring higher than males on standardized math tests is not consistently supported by research data. While females often receive better school grades in mathematics, standardized test scores, especially at higher levels, often show males outperforming females or the differences being minimal.

Question 14

Which of the following has not been shown to be true of children with math disabilities?

Accepted Answer

Research indicates that children with math disabilities struggle with various aspects of arithmetic, including the use of less sophisticated strategies, difficulties in fact retrieval, and challenges in keeping number names in working memory. However, the statement that their practice at fact retrieval appreciably improves their performance has not been consistently supported. While practice can lead to some improvement, children with math disabilities often continue to show significant deficits in fact retrieval and other areas of math performance compared to their typically developing peers.

Question 15

Differences in math abilities between some Asian and American children are probably most influenced by

Accepted Answer

The answer of Differences in math abilities between some Asian...

Question 16

There has been much interest of late in gender differences in mathematical ability, in part because

Accepted Answer

Higher mathematics is crucial for entry into scientific careers, which is a significant reason for the interest in gender differences in mathematical ability.

Question 17

Asian children spend more time practicing math than American children for all of the following reasons except that Asian mothers tend to

Accepted Answer

Asian mothers are more likely to emphasize hard work, involvement in school work, and the importance of academic performance, rather than focusing primarily on their children's academic successes. This approach is more about effort and improvement rather than just celebrating successes.

Question 18

A study that assessed arithmetic calculations by unschooled 9- and 15-year-old Brazilian street vendors found that the children answered questions presented the way that they typically are in school correctly

Accepted Answer

The answer of A study that assessed arithmetic calculations by...

Question 19

Children's use of math strategies that increase in complexity have been associated with improvements in all of the following except

Accepted Answer

The answer of Children's use of math strategies that increase...

Question 20

Consistent with Vygotsky's idea that cognition develops first in the social realm external to the child, before becoming interiorized, recent research indicates that children's use of which of the following as a strategy helps them solve math problems?

Accepted Answer

Recent research shows that children who use gestures while solving math problems perform better on mathematical tasks and have more developed spatial reasoning skills. This is consistent with Vygotsky's idea that cognition is developed first in a social context before becoming individualized. The other choices may also be helpful strategies for children in mathematics, but do not specifically relate to Vygotsky's theory.

Quiz 10: Intelligence and School Achievement