Early math knowledge among low-income children linked to later achievement

Early math knowledge among low-income children linked to later achievement
A longitudinal study published in Child Development evaluates an early math trajectories model for 517 low-income children from ages 4 to 11 to determine whether children's math skills when they are 4 and 5 predicted their math achievement at age 11.
 
Children were tested on six math skills (patterning, counting objects, comparing quantities, understanding written numbers, calculating, and understanding shapes) during their last year of preschool and near the end of first grade. At the end of fifth grade, they were tested on a range of math knowledge, including knowledge about numbers, algebra, and geometry.

Bethany Rittle-Johnson and colleagues found that children's skills in patterning, comparing quantities, and counting objects in preschool were strong predictors of their math achievement at age 11. By the end of first grade, understanding written numbers and calculating were the strongest predictors of later math knowledge. Patterning skills remained a predictor, however, shape knowledge was never a unique predictor of later math achievement.

These results suggest that children's math knowledge in preschool is related to their later achievement, however, not all early achievement is a useful predictor of future performance.

Johns Hopkins University 

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