Early+Arithmetic+Learning

Students' arithmetical learning develops through two complementary processes: **counting** and **grouping**. Young children's counting develops into more than generating a rote sequence of words. Gelman's (1972) recognition of the principles of counting as combining one-to-one correspondence with the ability to generate the sequence of number words is reflected in the way that children can use counting as a problem solving process.

Just as "counting" describes more than generating a sequence of words, grouping captures a range of procedures. The formation of units as entities, as well as combining and separating, are considered as examples of grouping.

Counting sequences and grouping develop together. Grouping, as a method of “chunking” information, increases in importance as arithmetical strategies increase in sophistication. The counting sequences themselves become grouped or “nested” within numbers.