When children are aged around 2 years, many of the early foundations of mathematical skills are developing. Understanding this is important to shed light on theories of mathematical development. Nevertheless, little research has investigated 2-year-olds' early mathematical abilities, with most research focussing on either infants (aged 0-1 years)…

In this report, we perform a descriptive analysis of kindergarten readiness in Illinois. We use data on the population of Illinois kindergarteners between the 2017-18 and 2021-22 school years provided by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). In our analysis, we build on the existing literature and examine readiness over time, by domain,…

Parents are a child's first teachers. They are responsible for building children's social, emotional, physical, and intellectual foundations. The problem investigated through this dissertation case study was the inconsistent knowledge of child development and developmentally appropriate activities among parents of young and primary school aged…

In this study we investigated the effects of two naturalistic 2- to 4-year-old children's intervention programs aimed at promoting children's Spontaneous Focusing On Numerosity (SFON) and early numerical skills. The study consisted of a quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest design with a delayed posttest and an active control group participating in…

In this paper the authors demonstrate how play can serve as a space for assessing and promoting children's mathematical thinking. Analyzing data from a larger study of professional development to support culturally and developmentally responsive mathematics teaching in preschool, we found that through Learning Stories, a holistic narrative…

This brief presents a promising approach to supporting young children's early math skills development. The approach synthesizes the influence of parents, the home environment, and children's health care providers, and is being implemented by Reach Out and Read. Reach Out and Read is a program in which health care providers give young children new…

In "The Absorbent Mind," Montessori (1967) described the early development of children between birth and 3 years of age as proceeding along different tracks. For example, coordination might be developing typically, while language and speech may show delays of disorder and attention and perception may be below average for typical…

The purpose of the Early Childhood Essentials Framework is to synthesize and communicate the essential skills and competencies children should be acquiring before they enter kindergarten and the related skills and competencies early childhood educators must cultivate in order to provide high-quality early learning experiences that will set all…

In this article, I (a) illustrate how the K-2 CCSSM reflect the major findings from research studies carried out over the last 30 years on early mathematical abilities that indicate these standards are developmentally appropriate for young children, and (b) offer insights into some types of instructional strategies (e.g., student-centered…

The present study examines how attending the German model project "Kindergarten of the Future in Bavaria" (KiDZ), which provided 138 children (aged 3 to 6) with traditional preschool stimulation combined with cognitive and domain-specific stimulation, is associated with children's competencies in mathematics over time to age 12 compared…

This brief presents a promising approach to supporting the development of early math skills in young children. The approach synthesizes the influence of parents, the home environment, and children's health care providers, and is being implemented in Washington State by Reach Out and Read. Reach Out and Read is a program in which health care…

This study was conducted to examine the attitudes of Head Start teachers toward mathematics and how it may influence how and what they teach in the classroom. In general, the findings of this study can be summarized as this: 1) Math anxiety affects how teachers assess their ability at mathematics. The more math anxiety they report, the lower they…

"Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1" reviews the best available evidence to offer five recommendations for developing the maths skills of 3-7-year olds. Recommendations include integrating maths into different activities throughout the day -- for example, at registration and snack time -- to familiarise children…

Blocks are not just for play! In this article, Nicole Andrews describes observing the interactions of three young boys enthusiastically engaged in the kindergarten block center of their classroom, using blocks in a building project that displayed their ability to use critical thinking skills, physics exploration, and the development of language…

This protocol guided the review of research that informed the recommendations contained in the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) practice guide, "Teaching Math to Young Children," published in November 2013. The research review involved the following steps: (1) The research staff searched the professional literature to identify relevant…