Math skills are critical for future success in school (Eccles, 1997), as school-entry math knowledge is the strongest predictor of later academic achievement (Claessens, Duncan, & Engel, 2009). Researchers have found that teachers of young children spend less time teaching mathematics than other subject areas (Phillips & Meloy, 2012), and there is a lack of formal early mathematics instruction for young children’s understanding of early numeracy (Chard et al., 2008). However, preschoolers are developmentally ready for mathematics and are more able to learn math concepts than previously believed (Balfanz, Ginsburg, & Greenes, 2003). While there is a recent increase of literature on math with young children, there is a scarcity of research related to young children with disabilities in the field of mathematics, particularly utilizing evidence based interventions. The current study investigates one intervention integrating mathematics within children’s literature for preschoolers with disabilities. This study was a quasi-experimental group design, with one treatment group and one comparison group (N = 50 participants). Targeted early numeracy skills included: (1) one-to-one correspondence, (2) quantity comparison, and (3) numeral identification. The 20-minute intervention was conducted three days per week for six weeks; the comparison group received a typical small group storybook reading of the same literature book with no elaborations. The Test of Early Mathematics Ability, Third Edition (TEMA-3; Ginsburg & Baroody, 2003) was used as a pre and post standardized assessment, and analyzed using one-way ANCOVAs controlling for pretest scores. The Preschool Numeracy Indicators (PNI; Floyd, Hojnoski, & Key, 2006) was used as a weekly curriculum based measurement and analyzed by one-way ANCOVAS and by individual and group means for descriptive data. After the intervention, the children in the treatment group scored significantly higher in the areas of total math ability, quantity comparison, and one-to-one counting fluency than the comparison group. Implications include possibilities for further integrating mathematics within literature for preschoolers with disabilities, the benefits of intentional storybook selection for this type of intervention, and the recognition of the importance of introducing mathematical topics to preschoolers with disabilities in order of developmental cognitive readiness.

Early identification practices in assessment are crucial to preventing academic failure as well as identifying students at-risk for later learning disabilities. The PAM Early Numeracy Screening is a set of subscales designed to measure early numeracy in kindergarten students in a group setting. Given that the existing early numeracy measures are individually administered, the purpose of the current study was to explore the psychometric properties of the PAM Early Numeracy Screening. Correlational analysis was the primary research design used to investigate the evidence of reliability, criterion-related validity, and construct validity of the PAM Early Numeracy Screening. Criterion measures included the KeyMath-3 Diagnostic Assessment, Metropolitan Achievement Tests, Eighth Edition, Early Math Measures Study Teacher Rating of Students’ Math Proficiency, and the Early Numeracy Indicators. The sample consisted of 97 kindergarten students from a school district in the Greater New Orleans Metropolitan Area. Results support the PAM Early Numeracy Screening as a promising group administered measure of early numeracy in kindergarten. Implications for future research include investigating the internal structure of the subscales and exploring evidence of predictive validity of the subscales, specifically the Quantity Discrimination subscale to independently predict later math achievement.

<div>A number of studies provide evidence that the home numeracy environment (HNE) is important for the development of early numeracy skills. There is also evidence that preschoolers understanding of math language is a strong predictor of numeracy skills. However, there is limited research on the role of math language knowledge in the relation between the HNE and early numeracy skills. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relation between different aspects of the HNE (direct vs. indirect numeracy activities) and numeracy skills while considering math language as a moderator. Participants included 125 children between 3.01 to 5.17 years (M = 4.09) and their parents. Parents reported on the frequency of engaging children in home numeracy activities. Children were assessed in the fall and spring of their preschool year on their numeracy skills and math language knowledge. Hierarchical multiple regressions were conducted to test if prior math language knowledge would moderate the relation between each component of the HNE (indirect and direct numeracy activities) and later numeracy skills. Results indicate that math language was not a moderator of these relations. However, supplemental analyses suggest that math language mediates the relation between direct HNE and numeracy skills. These findings provide evidence that the relation between the direct HNE and early numeracy may be explained by preschooler’s math language knowledge.</div><div><br></div>

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in parent-child interactions when they played the same numeracy-related game using two formats, a technology-based electronic format and a non-technology traditional board format. It aimed at unpacking the game format effect on parent-child interactions in early home numeracy activities. A mixed-method study with an embedded design was conducted to approach the research questions. In the repeated-measures experiment, 39 parent-preschooler dyads played the same numeracy-related game – The Game of the Goose – using both an electronic format and a board format. The videos of all the play sessions were the data source. Both quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted. The quantitative analysis was the primary focus. The videos of parent-child play were coded using two pre-determined coding schemes, Parental Scaffolding Behavior and Mathematical Talk. Two repeated-measures multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) were conducted respectively for each coding scheme. The qualitative analysis of the 30% selected dyads played a supportive role to further explore the similarities and nuanced differences in parents’ performance of each coded scaffolding behavior across the two formats. The MANOVA for Parental Scaffolding Behaviors showed that the game format had a significant effect on seven of the twelve coded behaviors. The frequencies of Affirmation/Encouragement, Explanation, Inquiry, Re-representation, Modeling, Correction/Disaffirmation, and Physical Control were significantly higher in the board game condition compared in the electronic game condition. The MANOVA for Mathematical Talk revealed an interaction between the game format and the player on Naming Numbers. Both parents and children engaged in more statements about naming numbers in the board condition compared to the electronic condition, but the difference across the two game formats was bigger for parents than for children. In terms of the main effect of game format, the frequencies of Counting, Using Spatial Words and Estimating were significantly higher in the board game condition compared to the electronic game condition. Themes from qualitative analysis revealed parents’ different roles when using the two game formats, as well as the affordances of each format and their influence on parental scaffold behaviors. Interpretations of the results and findings about the game format effect were provided through the lens of sociocultural perspectives and affordances. This study enlarged the understanding of parent-child interaction in early numeracy activities. The findings offered implications for how to help preschoolers develop early numerical skills using different tools and how to design effective learning products for early numeracy using the features of different formats.

Because of a greater need to focus on early achievement in mathematics and increased global competition in this area, emphasis is increasingly being placed upon screening and monitoring of math development in early elementary to ensure progress for all students. Although protocols for early literacy assessment exist, research of psychometrically sound and instructionally useful early numeracy assessment methods is still developing. Thus, the current study was undertaken to further develop and examine early numeracy measures. In a two-year investigation, 72 kindergarten and 57 first-grade students completed a set of existing and newly developed early numeracy curriculum-based measurement (EN-CBM) tools. Reliability and validity of these measures were examined both within and across years. The nature of score change across the academic year was also analyzed. Findings were generally similar to those published in previous EN-CBM research. Alternate-form reliability estimates were largely adequate for screening purposes. Although concurrent and predictive validity estimates varied as a function of screening period and the outcome criterion, these estimates were generally moderate to strong. EN-CBM discriminant validity evidence was mixed for the kindergarten measures but more evident for first-grade tools. All measures demonstrated score change that was statistically significant over time with at least moderate to large effect sizes for most measures. Implications for EN-CBM use as screening tools are discussed. Study limitations are presented as are suggestions for future EN-CBM research.

No description available.

<p>  </p> <p>Early math skills, including numeracy and mathematical language (e.g., “less” and “a few”), are essential for later academic achievement. Children’s mathematical language knowledge is one of the strongest predictors of numeracy skills before kindergarten, suggesting that early exposure to math language is necessary. However, little work is focused on understanding how children are exposed to mathematical language within their early learning environments (e.g., while interacting with parents). The objective of this study was to investigate different constructs of parents’ talk (i.e., general talk, number talk, mathematical language) during math-related activity engagement with young children and examine how parents’ talk relates to children’s general vocabulary, numeracy skills, and mathematical language knowledge. Findings indicate that parents’ talk was best represented by a general talk, number talk, and mathematical language factor. Parents’ talk factors were not significantly related to their respective child outcomes (i.e., general vocabulary, numeracy skills, and mathematical language knowledge). However, parents used more general language when their children had higher numeracy skills but used more mathematical language when they had lower numeracy skills. This study provides initial evidence that parents’ number talk and mathematical language use are distinct constructs of parents’ talk that may expose children to different aspects of mathematical understanding.</p>

No description available.

This longitudinal study tracks how 5- to 7-year-olds perform with early number skills. The aim of this study is to diagnose at-risk mathematics students by distinguishing the skills that, if not mastered by the end of Kindergarten, lead to greater difficulty in mathematics in 1st grade. This study’s methodology is mixed as it follows an exploratory and inductive path in light of its use of a hypothesis, an interpretive path in light of its interest in the individual student, and a positivist path in light of its focus on developing rules from analyzed data. An oral diagnostic test based on a comprehensive collection of early number skills was used to test students as Kindergarteners and again as 1st graders. The test results created benchmarks, revealing how the majority of the students performed with early number skills. The test results also revealed that each early number skill is highly, moderately, or minimally predictive in terms of student placement by the end of 1st grade. When comparing the individual skill scores of each Kindergarten student to his/her total test results of 1st grade, the predictive power of each skill emerged. Performing poorly with skills that are minimally predictive did not seem to have an impact on how the Kindergarten student finished in 1st grade; performing poorly with moderately predictive skills had a greater impact on 1st grade placement; performing poorly with highly predictive skills in Kindergarten increased the likelihood that the student would finish in the lower attaining group in 1st grade. A third result of the test showed that certain skills serve as preconditions for other skills; success with certain skills usually meant success with other skills. These connections between skills point to a learning model called in this study “simultaneous pathways,” indicating that there are connections between certain skills, and that students can be learning on several pathways simultaneously. The impact of the predictive power of early number skills is that diagnosis becomes more effective. Early diagnosis means early remediation which may prevent at-risk students from falling further behind their peers. The benchmarks developed by this research will help teachers assess their students because they will know the general skill level of Kindergarteners and 1st graders. This oral diagnostic test informs curriculum development. If test results show that students are missing the skills that are highly predictive, teachers can address those gaps in order to insure mastery.

The present study examined the effectiveness of a shared storybook reading intervention in increasing children’s early numeracy and early literacy skills through a multiple baseline single case design. Four parent-child dyads were included in the study, and children’s early numeracy and early literacy skills were measured using the eNumeracy Early Math Assessments and the Preschool Early Literacy Indicators, respectively. The study also measured mathematical dialogue to determine if an increase in children’s early numeracy skills is due to the intervention and not other confounding variables. Finally, the study measured intervention integrity, and parent ratings of social validity. Results of the study indicated that parent-child mathematical dialogue increased for three participants and could not be calculated for the fourth participant due to attrition. Visual analysis and hierarchical linear modeling results indicated no statistically significant early numeracy or literacy outcomes across participants. A masked visual analysis indicated that there was an observable difference in children’s scores on the eNumeracy Ordinal Position measures, but none of the other outcome measures. Additionally, the majority of parents were able to implement the intervention with integrity and all parents reported high levels of social validity. The findings of this study show that the parent directed shared mathematical storybook reading intervention was effective in increasing mathematical dialogue between parents and children. Future studies should examine the impact of shared mathematical storybook reading interventions on discrete early numeracy and literacy skills specifically targeted during the book reading interventions.