Magnitude comparisons by children with specific language impairments: evidence of unimpaired symbolic processing

A size judgement task was used to investigate number processing skills in c hildren with specific language impairments (SLI). Previous work with unimpa ired adults and children has shown that when comparing the size of written numbers and other ordinal stimuli, there is a symbolic distance effect (SDE ) such that decision time decreases with the size distance between items. T his study examined the ability of children to judge stimulus pairs which we re varied to contrast the processing of symbolic material against direct pe rceptual judgement and to test processing of numeric versus non-numeric mat erial. Children with SLI were compared with a control group matched on verb al comprehension level. The children with SLI responded faster than the con trol subjects. The SLI and control groups showed similar SDE and a similar pattern of response across materials. No indication was found in the SLI da ta of any selective deficit in processing symbolic information. Findings ar e discussed in relation to theories of numeracy acquisition which acknowled ge the importance of nonverbal representation of number meanings.