Socioeconomic Status and Preschoolers' Mathematical Knowledge: The Contribution of Home Activities and Parent Beliefs

Research Findings: Children from families of lower socioeconomic status (SES) enter kindergarten with less developed mathematical knowledge compared to children from middle SES families. This discrepancy is present at age 3 years and likely stems from differences in the home learning environment. This study reports SES-related differences both in the quantity and quality of mathematical support children receive in the home and in parent beliefs about early mathematical development and then compares both with children's performance on a comprehensive mathematics assessment. Participants included 90 children in their 1st year of preschool (2 years before kindergarten entry) and 88 children in their prekindergarten year (the year just prior to kindergarten entry). Both cohorts were balanced for SES and gender. The results suggested minimal SES-related variation in mathematical support received in either cohort but clear SES differences in parents’ beliefs about early mathematical development. Middle SES parents of children in both cohorts held higher expectations in terms of skills they expected children to possess by age 5, as well as a more accurate understanding of which skills are within the developmental range of most children by age 5. These differences accounted for unique variance in children's scores on the mathematics assessment. Practice or Policy: Implications are discussed.     

Relative Contributions of Prekindergarten and Kindergarten to Children's Literacy and Mathematics Skills

Research Findings: A difficulty for developmental researchers is disambiguating children's general maturation from the influence of schooling. In this study, we use a natural experiment to examine the influence of prekindergarten and kindergarten schooling experiences on the development of literacy and mathematics. Children (n = 60) whose birthdates fell within 2 months of the state-determined cutoff date for prekindergarten and kindergarten entry were administered 4 subtests of the Woodcock–Johnson III Tests of Achievement in the fall and spring of the school year. Using hierarchical linear modeling coupled with propensity score matching, we found that children who were starting kindergarten and who had prior experience in prekindergarten had higher scores on measures of phonological awareness, early reading, and mathematics skills than did children who had not attended prekindergarten previously, even though they were essentially the same age. Fall vocabulary scores did not differ in relation to whether children had prekindergarten experience. In addition, although children who attended kindergarten as well as those who attended prekindergarten exhibited growth on all measures during the school year, children who attended kindergarten demonstrated greater gains in early reading and vocabulary during the school year. Practice or Policy: These findings highlight the potential of early schooling processes to facilitate children's intellectual growth.     

Big Math for Little Kids: The Effectiveness of a Preschool and Kindergarten Mathematics Curriculum

Research Findings: Big Math for Little Kids (BMLK) is a mathematics curriculum developed for use with 4- and 5-year-old children. To investigate the BMLK curriculum's effect on children's mathematics knowledge, this cluster-randomized controlled trial randomly assigned child care centers to provide mathematics instruction to children, using either the BMLK mathematics curriculum or the centers’ business-as-usual curriculum, over a 2-year period when children were in prekindergarten and kindergarten. Participants in the study were 762 children and their teachers at 16 publicly subsidized child care centers. The study assessed children's mathematics knowledge using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Birth Cohort (ECLS-B), Direct Mathematics Assessment, a measure of young children's mathematics knowledge that is not aligned with the curriculum. The ECLS-B scores of children in the BMLK group increased significantly more than did those of children in the comparison group. The study also included exploratory analyses to examine whether children in the BMLK group demonstrated evidence of improved mathematical language. Practice or Policy: These results indicate that the BMLK curriculum, which is designed to help teachers use play-based, developmentally appropriate mathematics instruction, has a positive impact on young children's mathematics knowledge as measured by a general mathematics assessment that is not aligned with the curriculum.     

Strategies to Encourage Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood: Discussions and Brainstorming Promote Stronger Performance

This longitudinal study examined the influence of prekindergarten teacher characteristics and classroom instructional processes during mathematical activities on the growth of mathematics learning scores in prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first grade. Participants attended state-funded and Head Start prekindergarten programs. Mathematical performance was measured in fall and spring in prekindergarten and spring in kindergarten and first grade using the Test of Early Mathematics Ability–3 (TEMA-3; Ginsburg & Baroody, 2003). Two dimensions of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS; i.e., instructional learning formats and concept development; Pianta, La Paro, & Hamre, 2008) were scored based on observed classroom mathematics activities. Teachers provided information about their education and years of prekindergarten teaching experience. Research Findings: Instructional processes that included elements of the CLASS concept development dimension, such as discussions and brainstorming to encourage children’s understanding, were related to growth of mathematics scores. Neither teacher characteristics nor instructional processes of the CLASS instructional learning formats dimension, such as using different modalities and materials, and learning objectives, were related to growth of mathematics scores. Practice or Policy: The findings extend our understandings of how instructional processes impact children’s early mathematical performance. These findings may be helpful in increasing our understanding of the types of instructional processes that might be emphasized in teacher professional development specifically related mathematical activities. Professional development that focuses on the CLASS concept development dimension may be easier for teachers to remember and implement in their classrooms and, consequently, have a greater impact on mathematics learning.     

Understanding the Program Effectiveness of Early Mathematics Interventions for Prekindergarten and Kindergarten Environments: A Meta-Analytic Review

Research Findings: The early childhood years are critical in developing early mathematics skills, but the opportunities one has to learn mathematics tend to be limited, preventing the development of significant mathematics learning. By conducting a meta-analysis of 29 experimental and quasi-experimental studies that have been published since 2000, this study extends beyond prior evaluations of early mathematics programs for prekindergarten and kindergarten environments by quantifying program effectiveness in terms of effect sizes and examining 6 aspects of these programs. We found an overall moderate to large effect size. There was a tendency for programs to produce larger effects when they (a) targeted a single content strand, (b) presented content 120 to 150 min per week, (c) designed programs for the prekindergarten environment, (d) presented content individually to children, and (e) used researcher-made mathematics assessments. Practice or Policy: Early mathematics programs can be designed to be both developmentally appropriate and highly effective. The goal of this meta-analysis was to reveal these programs to early development and education professionals so that they understand some of the factors that might explain why some produced stronger effects than others.     

The Impact of an Ongoing Professional Development Program on Prekindergarten Teachers' Mathematics Practices

Mathematics is a natural part of daily life for young children as they explore and investigate the world around them. To build on these experiences, and to begin establishing a mathematical foundation, early childhood educators must not only be knowledgeable about mathematical concepts, they must also be aware of the most developmentally appropriate ways in which to teach these concepts to young children. After participation in an ongoing professional development program, specifically targeting teachers of prekindergarten children in public school, Preschool Programs for Children with Disabilities (PPCD), Head Start, and child care settings, teachers reported positive changes in math practices. Specifically, teachers reported a stronger alignment to national mathematics standards and increased awareness pertaining to developmentally appropriate mathematics practices as they apply to early childhood classrooms. Teachers reported a shift towards more hands-on activities and a shift away from the use of worksheets in their prekindergarten classrooms. Implications from this study suggest that ongoing professional development that is designed to meet the specific needs of early childhood educators can have a positive impact on reported mathematics content knowledge and instructional practices.     

Getting Ready for School: Piloting Universal Prekindergarten in an Urban County

Investments in high-quality early care and education have been shown to reap societal benefits across the lives of the children served. A key intervention point is in the lives of 3- to 5-year olds during the period prior to entering kindergarten. Many jurisdictions have developed broad-based prekindergarten initiatives. This study reports on a pilot universal prekindergarten program in 24 sites in the Cleveland, Ohio area. Child assessment data were collected on 204 children from early care classrooms for 3- to 5-year olds across 3 time points by trained observers using 2 standardized instruments. Changes in achievement scores were shown to be significantly predicted by race, parental education level, and whether the family spoke English as a second language, with largest gains shown among children who were most behind at baseline. The findings serve to illuminate the developmental trajectory of children before kindergarten and how data can be used to inform practice and policy.     

Longitudinal contributions of executive functioning and visual-spatial skills to mathematics learning in young Chinese children

One hundred sixty-five Hong Kong Chinese children were administered measures of early mathematics, visual-spatial skills, and executive functioning (working memory, inhibition, shifting, updating) once in kindergarten (mean age?=?62.80 months, SD?=?3.74) and again in first grade (mean age?=?77.25 months, SD?=?4.60). In kindergarten, visual-spatial skills, inhibition, shifting, and working memory were all uniquely associated with concurrent mathematics performance; in first grade, only working memory and visual-spatial skills were significantly related to concurrent mathematics abilities. Furthermore, working memory and visual-spatial skills in kindergarten predicted 19% of the variance in children’s mathematics performance in first grade, beyond the autoregressive effects of mathematics performance in kindergarten as well as demographic variables. Findings highlight the importance of working memory and visual-spatial skills for young Chinese children in mastering mathematics.     

Strategy diversity in early mathematics classrooms

Strategic processes are a form of procedural knowledge in which a child knows how to enact a given strategy that improves their capability in problem solving or learning. The solution strategies children use are critical components of their learning, especially in mathematics. Children vary substantially in their knowledge and use of different strategies, and much research has focused on intraindividual strategy variability. However, we do not know if classrooms that evince a broader variety of strategies across children are related to higher mathematics achievement. We investigated the diversity of arithmetical strategies within classrooms and examined the relations between strategy diversity and mathematical achievement as children moved from preschool to kindergarten and first grade. These analyses were applied to data from a large-scale experiment involving 1305 children from 42 schools and 106 classrooms. We created and applied a new method of measuring classroom strategy diversity and related this measure to children’s concurrent and subsequent math achievement. We found that early strategy diversity was strongly related to achievement, but in subsequently, less diversity was so related. We compared these results to the predictions of three theoretical categories and found that our results mainly supported one.     

Development of SFON in Ecuadorian Kindergartners

This study explored the development of Ecuadorian Kindergartners’ spontaneous focusing on numerosity (SFON) during the kindergarten year, as well as the contribution of early numerical abilities to this development. One hundred Kindergartners coming from ten classrooms received two SFON tasks, one at the beginning and one at the end of the school year, and an early numerical abilities achievement test at the beginning of the school year. Results first demonstrated limited SFON development during the kindergarten year, with inter-individual differences and intra-individual stability of children’s SFON tendency. Second, both children’s SFON tendency and their early numerical abilities at the start of the kindergarten year were predictively related to their SFON tendency at the end of the year. Our results do not only add to our theoretical understanding of SFON in young children, but also inform educational policy and practices in the domain of early mathematics education in Ecuador, as they provide building blocks for optimizing the educational goals and curricula for kindergarten mathematics.     

Kindergarten children's symbolic number comparison skills relates to 1st grade mathematics achievement: Evidence from a two-minute paper-and-pencil test

Basic numerical skills provide an important foundation for the learning of mathematics. Thus, it is critical that researchers and educators have access to valid and reliable ways of assessing young children's numerical skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the concurrent, predictive, and incremental validity of a two-minute paper-and-pencil measure of children's symbolic (Arabic numerals) and non-symbolic (dot arrays) comparison skills. A sample of kindergarten children (M_age = 5.86, N = 439) were assessed on the measure along with a number line estimation task, a measure of arithmetic, and several control measures. Results indicated that performance on the symbolic comparison task explained unique variance in children's arithmetic performance in kindergarten. Longitudinal analyses demonstrated that both symbolic comparison and number line estimation in kindergarten were independent predictors of 1st grade mathematics achievement. However, only symbolic comparison remained a unique predictor once language skills and processing speed were taken into account. These results suggest that a two-minute paper-and-pencil measure of children's symbolic number comparison is a reliable predictor of children's early mathematics performance.     

A structural model of the effects of preschool attention on kindergarten literacy

Factors that lead to poor achievement in literacy are evident prior to a child beginning kindergarten. In the present study, we examined the importance of including attention in a model for predicting emergent literacy in prekindergarten and subsequent reading abilities in kindergarten. The sample was 250 children attending public prekindergarten and kindergarten. Structural equation modeling was used to test our hypothesis that children??s early literacy skills mediate the relationship between preschoolers?? attention and kindergarten decoding abilities. Using early literacy as a mediator between early attention and later decoding provided a good model fit. Results suggest that attention was integral to the fit of the model and that attention in preschool is related to the development of early literacy skills above and beyond the contribution of maternal education to these skills. The implication of our study is that attention in early childhood should be considered an important part of literacy development.     

Children’s Home Numeracy Environment Predicts Growth of their Early Mathematical Skills in Kindergarten

This study investigated the longitudinal associations between children’s early mathematics and their home numeracy environment (HNE). Chilean children from families who varied widely in socioeconomic status were assessed at the beginning and end of prekindergarten in 2016 (N = 419, M_age = 4:7 [years:months]), and at the end of kindergarten in 2017 (N = 368, M_age = 5:10). Children whose parents provided frequent operational numeracy activities (e.g., learning simple sums) at prekindergarten showed better arithmetic performance and growth in nonsymbolic and symbolic number comparison at the end of kindergarten. Parents’ knowledge of number-related games predicted children’s arithmetic skills and growth in nonsymbolic number comparison. These findings underscore the persistent relations between the HNE and the development of children’s mathematical skills.     

Attitudes and Beliefs of Prekindergarten Teachers Toward Teaching Science to Young Children

This study explored infield prekindergarten teachers’ attitudes and beliefs toward teaching science to young children. In addition, prekindergarten teachers’ previous and future interests in science-related professional development were assessed. Data were collected through a self-report measure, the preschool teacher attitudes and beliefs toward science. The sample consisted of 112 prekindergarten teachers. Findings suggest prekindergarten teachers may be more comfortable with conducting and integrating science activities and understanding the benefits of science for young children’s global development than previously thought. However, teachers continue to indicate feelings of inadequacy and anxiety toward their own science knowledge and ability to support children’s scientific learning. Future research should examine additional methods of assessing science teaching in prekindergarten classrooms, such as direct observation, as well as the impact of professional development on attitudes, beliefs, and practices of prekindergarten teachers when teaching science.     

Role of teacher characteristics and school resources in early mathematics learning

The authors investigated the degree to which school-level teacher characteristics and resources are related to the mathematics learning of kindergarten children using a sample drawn from a large US database. Kindergarten-level teacher characteristics were operationalised as collective teacher efficacy, teacher experience and teacher preparation; kindergarten resources were operationalised as efforts that schools make to reach out to parents, classrooms with mathematics manipulatives, and classroom technology. Kindergarten students learned more in mathematics over a year in schools where teachers’ collective efficacy was high. School resources yielded a range of significant yet mixed results in young children’s mathematics achievement. Notably, younger students and students entering kindergarten with lower levels of mathematical skills benefited greatly from classroom resources. Overall, the presence of classroom technology as a school-level resource was positively related with older kindergarten students’ learning. Based upon the findings, organisational and policy implications are discussed.     

Formal versus informal prekindergarten care and school readiness for children in immigrant families: A synthesis review

The U.S. is witnessing two major trends in its rising cohorts of young children preparing to start school: an increase in the utilization of formal (e.g., center-based) childcare options in the year before starting kindergarten and an increase in the share of these young children who come from immigrant families. Given that many children from immigrant families in the U.S. start school at a disadvantage relative to native-born children, researchers, policy makers, and practitioners have inquired into which prekindergarten alternatives might be most effective at boosting school readiness for this group of children. This review covers the effects of formal versus informal prekindergarten alternatives in the year before entering school on a commonly-explored set of child-level academic and socioemotional indictors of school readiness for children in immigrant families in the U.S. In contrast to remaining in informal care, children in immigrant families showed fairly consistent, positive academic and socioemotional effects of attending formal prekindergarten in the year before kindergarten for children in immigrant families. Compared to native-born children in formal care, children from immigrant families in formal care showed some positive, but not as consistent, evidence of closing gaps between these two groups across school readiness indicators. Finally, there are several, noteworthy common limitations in this body of literature, which can be used to shape future research agendas and policy dialogue.     

Comparing multimethod assessment of approaches to learning among preschool children: Direct measure,teacher report,and parent report

A multi‐informant or multimethod approach has been suggested for use in educational evaluation and children's development assessment. However, in the study field of approaches to learning, most previous studies used one method to measure approaches to learning. In addition, compared with kindergarten and elementary children, younger children have received little attention. This study was dedicated to determining whether a multimethod approach (direct measure, teacher report, and parent report) was needed to assess preschool children's approaches to learning. A total of 713 preschool children were enrolled in this study. Correlations and multiple regressions were conducted to analyze the correlation among the three methods as well as their criterion validity based upon comparisons with an assessment of children's early childhood development. The results revealed significant but weak correlations among the three assessment methods. The direct measure of approaches to learning was more relevant to children's early childhood development than the teacher report and the parent report. The criterion validity of using the direct measure to assess preschool children's approaches to learning was also better than that of the teacher report and the parent report. Therefore, the direct measure was recommended for use in assessing preschool children's approaches to learning, and teacher report can be used as a supplement.     

Predictors of mothers' and fathers' teaching of reading and mathematics during kindergarten and Grade 1

The aim of the present longitudinal study was to investigate factors contributing to mothers' and fathers' teaching of reading and mathematics to their children during kindergarten and Grade 1. It was assumed that mothers' and fathers' teaching during kindergarten would be influenced by their socioeconomic status and their own learning difficulties, whereas during Grade 1 by their children's academic performance. A total of 189 mothers and 165 fathers filled in questionnaires regarding their teaching of reading and mathematics twice, once in kindergarten and once in Grade 1. Children's reading and mathematics performance was also examined twice, once in kindergarten and once in Grade 1. The results showed that the lower the socioeconomic status of mothers and fathers, the more teaching of reading and mathematics they reported. Moreover, the lower the children's academic performance in reading and mathematics in the beginning of Grade 1, the more teaching by mothers and fathers reported later on. Overall, the results suggest that mothers and fathers adjust their teaching to the actual skill level of their children when their children enter primary school.     

Behavioral self-regulation and executive function both predict visuomotor skills and early academic achievement

The present study explored direct and interactive effects between behavioral self-regulation (SR) and two measures of executive function (EF, inhibitory control and working memory), with a fine motor measure tapping visuomotor skills (VMS) in a sample of 127 prekindergarten and kindergarten children. It also examined the relative contribution of behavioral SR, EF, and VMS skills for concurrent academic achievement. Results indicated that a measure of working memory (WJ-Working Memory) and a measure of behavioral SR (Head–Toes–Knees–Shoulders task; HTKS) were directly related to VMS. Differential relations were also examined for prekindergarten and kindergarten children. Results revealed a significant interaction between age and inhibitory control (Day–Night), and an interaction at a trend level between age and working memory suggesting both tasks are more related to VMS skills for younger children. Results also indicated that behavioral SR, EF, and VMS skills were differentially related to the three achievement outcomes. Both behavioral SR and VMS were significantly related to math, behavioral SR, EF, and VMS were significantly related to emergent literacy, and behavioral SR and EF were related to vocabulary scores. Results point to significant relations between behavioral SR and EF with VMS, and how each is related to early academic achievement in preschool and kindergarten.     

Inequities and lack of professionalisation of early childhood development practice hinder opportunities for mathematics stimulation and realisation of South African policy on quality education for all

White Paper 5's aim is to provide South Africa's children with a solid foundation for lifelong learning and development. Children need to be nurtured and developed holistically for them to participate efficiently in their democratic society. However, South African students continue to perform poorly in Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study compared to other African countries. Contributing factors highlighted by research on this poor performance include students' lack of foundational knowledge. Hence, mathematics stimulation for young children has been suggested as a prompt intervention towards improving mathematics performance. This paper therefore evaluates the preparedness of practitioners who work with 3–4-year-olds as resources for facilitating mathematics stimulation, availability of mathematics stimulating resources and daily planning for mathematics stimulation. The findings of this paper indicate that mathematics development of children younger than five years is loaded with many inequity factors and continue to exclude the majority of black children. This paper recommends professionalisation of the early childhood education with emphasis on quality provisioning that can be achieved through norms and standards that are monitored continuously in all formal and informal settings that provide early childhood education.