Okay that's true.

"Research indicates that early number sense predicts school success more than other measures of cognition like verbal, spatial, or memory skills or reading ability." (Pg 171 of text)

I am about to jump at that audacious statement with my claws out at the ready, poised to maul it to pieces. Does it mean to say that the mastery of literacy (*sensitive subject*) is a lesser ability than the mastery of number sense?? What an insult! I take serious offence with this statement.

WELL. To that, Mr Yeap had this to say (and I paraphrase):

"Why must we train children to solve "How many 1/2s are there in 3/4"? Is it so that they can use it in the supermarket? No! Teaching them strategies to solve this problem will train their brains to look for things that are difficult to see. This is called the ability to 'visualize' and it is so important in the later stages of learning. Learning to 'visualise' teaches children to answer inferential questions, to read in between the lines- skills that will serve them well in other subjects such as literature and science."

Alright, that's true, but I still don't like how it makes literacy sound less important in comparison.

#pardontheliteracystudent