Work

Exploring the potential relations between a novel visual alphabet and preschoolers' spatial skills

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The Pattern Alphabet (pABC) organizes 32 icons into four categories that illustrate natural growth and movement (Growth), Geometry, Symmetry, and shapes that enable the creation of new shapes (Building Blocks). We presented 4- to 5-year-olds with a pABC matching task, as well as tasks that measured their spatial and mathematical skills. Results from this exploratory research found that children successfully matched most pABC icons with colored photographs of objects in the world that contained embedded pABC icons, though performance varied by category. Children had difficulty with Symmetry icons but matched nearly all Geometric icons. After controlling for factors attributed to variability in children's spatial skills, performance on the pABC matching task significantly predicted spatial skills, with the Growth category standing out as the sole significant predictor. These results suggest that recognition of diverse shapes, like those in the pABC, may play a role in shaping early spatial thinking.

Source: Frontiers in Developmental Psychology

DOI: 10.3389/fdpys.2026.1746813

Authors: Amanda Delgado, Naomi Polinsky, Tania Cruz Cordero, David Uttal, Kathy Hirsh-Pasek, Roberta Michnick Golinkoff

Institutions: University of Delaware, Northwestern University, Northwestern University, Temple University

Language: English

Topic: Spatial Cognition and Navigation

Subfield: Automotive Engineering

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Quality education

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,353