Language effects in early development of number writing and reading

Reading and writing multidigit numbers requires accurate switching between Arabic spoken number words. This is particularly challenging in languages with number-word inversion such as German (24 pronounced four-and-twenty), reported by Zuber, Pixner, Moeller, Nuerk (2009, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2008.04.003). The current study aimed to replicate the qualitative error analysis Zuber et al. further extended their study: 1) A cross-linguistic (German, English) enabled us differentiate language-dependent more general transcoding challenges. 2) We investigated whether specific structures influence accuracy rates. 3) To consider both directions (from words vice versa), we assessed performance for reading addition writing. 4) Our longitudinal design allowed investigate development Grades 1 2. 170 German- 264 English-speaking children. Children wrote read same set of 44 one-, two- three-digit numbers, including For German, confirmed that a high amount errors was inversion-related. English, percentage inversion-related very low. Accuracy rates were strongly related syntax. impact independent direction or grade level revealed challenges numbers. instance, containing syntactic zeros (e.g., 109) significantly than items lexical 190). Based on our findings, suggest adaptations models.