Most longitudinal evidence explores the average level of development, suggesting that the relationships between a limited number of variables applies to all learners in the same way. This is the first longitudinal study that investigates multiple component numeric skills within a preschool population using a person-centered approach (i.e., a latent transition analysis), thus allowing for an investigation of different subgroup learning pathways of mathematical skills over time. 128 children aged 43–54 months (at Time 1) were tracked at three time points over 8 months encompassing the transition from preschool through to their first year of primary education. Findings suggest that there are five developmental pathways of mathematical learning with some groups of children making more rapid progress on entry to school than other groups. Those children in the low number skill pathway have a lower rate of growth than more advanced pathways, possibly due to a lack of understanding in cardinality. Findings highlighted the potential importance of language and working memory abilities on mathematical skills development over time.

大多数纵向证据探讨了平均水平的发展，表明有限数量的变量之间的关系以相同的方式适用于所有学习者。这是第一项纵向研究，该研究使用以人为中心的方法（即潜伏过渡分析）调查了学龄前人口中的多种数字技能，从而随着时间的推移，可以调查数学技能的不同亚组学习途径。在8个月的三个时间点跟踪了128个43-54个月的儿童（在时间1），包括从学龄前到初等教育的第一年。研究结果表明，数学学习有五种发展途径，其中一些儿童组的入学速度比其他儿童组要快。那些处于低数技能途径中的孩子的成长速度要比更高级的途径低，这可能是由于缺乏对基数的理解。研究结果突显了语言和工作记忆能力对数学技能发展的潜在重要性。