Mathematics and Language

Sarama, J., Lange, A. A., Clements, D. H., & Wolfe, C. B. (2012). The impacts of an early mathematics curriculum on oral language and literacy. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 27(3), 489-502. doi: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2011.12.002

Background

In the early days of schooling, children need to learn both literacy and numeracy skills. One fear that had been voiced was that extra time spent on numeracy skills could detract from the learning of important language skills such as knowledge of vocabulary, grammar and narrative processing that had been shown to be highly predictable of latter academic success. This might be of particular importance for students who might be academically at risk.

Aims

The aim of the study was to see what negative effects (if any) a focus on a pre-kindergarten maths programme that emphasized the study of shapes and the need for students to explain their answers would have on oral skills.

Sample

The study was based on some 1,300 students, average age of around five years old, from 43 schools from two school districts in the USA.

Method

The students were randomly divided into control and experimental groups. The first group followed the standard programme while the experimental groups followed a special programme that spent more time focused on maths. At the end of the programme, the children’s oral skills were tested.

Findings

Overall, it was found that the extra emphasis given to the maths programme had had no detrimental effect on the oral skills of the students. In fact, in some areas, there appeared to be some positive effects. The children who had been part of the experimental group were better able to give more complex explanations of a story with fewer promptings than those from the control group. The authors believe this was because the maths programme had emphasized the need for students to explain their answers.

Implications

The authors believe the results indicated that numeracy teaching that emphasized explanation not only served to improve the mathematical concepts of the students but also helped to improve their oral skills.

Original article retrieved from EBSCOHost.