What Types of Maternal Math Supports During Card Play Predict First Graders' Addition Skills?

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 1
  In Roundtable Session: Child-Centered Methods

Abstract

This study investigated associations between maternal support behaviors during videotaped joint math card-game activities and their first-grade daughters’ addition accuracy. Using regression analyses, mothers’ use of math fact hints predicted their daughters’ later addition skills. Conversely, suggesting the lowest level counting strategy (e.g., count-all) negatively predicted addition performance. Two types of math hints were predictive: Math Hints Relating to the Numbers on the Cards and Decomposition Novel Math Hints. For the latter, a small subset of mothers introduced decomposition by presenting a math problem not on the cards, (e.g., 5+5) that could be used to break down the original problem on the cards (e.g., 6+5) into its component parts, enabling the child to solve the harder problem through scaffolded decomposition.

Authors

• Beth Casey, Boston College

• Lindsey Caola, Boston College

• Eric Dearing, Boston College