Within LaPsyDÉ - UMR 8240, Sixtine Omont-Lescieux explored the development of numerical cognition in children.
Sixtine Omont-Lescieux, chercheur·e au sein de LaPsyDÉ - UMR 8240 (Université Paris Cité).
Thèse soutenue en 2023 à l'école doctorale École doctorale Cognition, comportements, conduites humaines (Paris ; 1996-....).
Référencée dans le réseau ABES/STAR, cette thèse répond aux critères de rigueur de l'enseignement supérieur français.
The thesis of Sixtine Omont-Lescieux addresses a fundamental and highly relevant topic: how specific and general cognitive functions influence the development of numerical cognition in children. By focusing on this crucial age group, this research highlights often overlooked mechanisms that underlie the understanding of fractions and proportions, essential mathematical concepts in the educational journey. These notions are not merely abstractions; they are also ubiquitous in our daily lives, whether in cooking, managing personal finances, or even understanding statistics in the media.
The results of this research reveal that from birth, infants possess basic abilities that can be harnessed to enhance their mathematical thinking. For example, studies have shown that babies can discriminate between different quantities, suggesting a rudimentary form of numerical understanding. However, the question arises: what about the cognitive biases that hinder this understanding and may develop over time? These biases, often unconscious, can have significant repercussions on how children learn and apply mathematics.
Behavioral and brain studies conducted by Omont-Lescieux, using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques, show that 1.3% to 10% of children suffer from developmental dyscalculia. This alarming figure underscores the importance of adapting teaching methods to meet the individual needs of students. Indeed, 73% of 15-year-old students in Germany show a denominator neglect bias in proportional choice tasks. This raises the crucial question: how can we improve mathematics teaching to avoid such biases and promote a deeper understanding of concepts?
The recommendations arising from this research are clear and relevant: it is crucial to develop methods to measure conceptual understanding of mathematics. This will not only improve teaching but also help children overcome cognitive obstacles that hinder them. By taking into account the individual strategies adopted by children, teachers can better tailor their pedagogical approaches. For example, diagnostic assessment tools could be implemented to identify struggling students and provide them with targeted support.
This thesis paves the way for broader reflection on mathematical education and how we can better prepare future generations to navigate an increasingly digital world. In the context of West Africa, and more specifically in Benin, where access to education and educational resources may be limited, it is all the more crucial to rethink our teaching methods. Cognitive biases, dyscalculia, and individual strategies must be at the heart of educational concerns.
By integrating these elements into school curricula, we can hope for a future where every child, regardless of their socio-economic background, has the necessary tools to excel in numerical cognition. This requires not only adequate training for teachers but also raising awareness among parents and communities about the importance of mathematical education. Ultimately, Sixtine Omont-Lescieux's research urges us to rethink our approach to teaching mathematics, placing the child at the center of the learning process.
It is imperative that educational systems take these findings into account to create inclusive and adapted learning environments. By investing in teaching methods that consider cognitive biases and the specific needs of students, we can hope to reduce educational inequalities and prepare children to face the challenges of an increasingly digital and complex society.
Données clés
- 1.3% à 10% : Prévalence de la dyscalculie développementale chez les enfants, impactant leur capacité à acquérir des compétences mathématiques.
- 73% : Pourcentage d'élèves de 15 ans en Allemagne présentant un biais de négligence du dénominateur dans des tâches de choix proportionnel.
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Sources et accès
Sixtine Omont-Lescieux. How domain-specific and domain-general functions contribute to the development of numerical cognition : behavioral and cerebral aspects. Neuroscience. Université Paris Cité, 2023. English. ⟨NNT : 2023UNIP7338⟩. ⟨tel-05405696⟩