Parents' Broad Math Support Concurrently and Longitudinally Predicts Preschoolers' Broad Math Knowledge and Skills

• In Event: 2-137 - A Broader Look at Parents' Early Informal Math Support

Integrative Statement

Research on home math experiences focuses primarily on how parents' numeracy support predicts child numeracy development (e.g., Zippert, Rittle-Johnson, in press). Broader perspectives, however, suggest spatial and pattern skills are also critical to broad mathematical development (Mix & Cheng, 2012; Rittle-Johnson et al., 2015; Sarama & Clements, 2004). Thus, the current study examined how parents provide spatial and pattern support compared to numeracy support, and how each support type relates concurrently and longitudinally to preschoolers' corresponding skills and general math knowledge.

Participants were 46 parents (85% mothers) and their preschooler (Mage=4.57 SDage=.31, 44% girls) from diverse backgrounds. In the first quarter of the pre-K year, dyads were videotaped playing with three randomly ordered math-related toys for about 5 minutes each (playing cards, Lego Duplo blocks, a bead stringing activity), selected to encourage parent number, spatial, and pattern support. Each support type was interval coded using adaptations of existing coding schemes (e.g., Cannon, Levine, & Huttenlocher, 2007; Ramani et al., 2015; Rittle-Johnson et al., 2015). Children's math, spatial, and patterning knowledge was assessed at two timepoints (beginning and end of the pre-K year). The Research-Based Early Mathematics Assessment–Short Form, containing numeracy and geometry items and 1 patterning item, measured general math knowledge. Spatial skills included Form perception (Developmental Test of Visual Perception-II) and visuospatial working memory (VSWM; Corsi Block Tapping task). Pattern skills were assessed via a validated repeating patterning measure (Rittle-Johnson et al., in press).

See Table 1.1 for definitions of parent support and descriptive statistics. Parents provided more total number support than spatial t(45)=6.55, p<.01, d=.97 or pattern support t(45)=11.34, p< .01, d=1.77 and provided more total spatial support than pattern support t(45) = 5.84, p < .01, d = .90. Most number support involved magnitude comparison, numeral and cardinal value identification, and most spatial support involved locations and directions. Parents also supported extending and identifying patterns, albeit infrequently.

Totals of each support type (number, spatial, pattern) did not significantly correlate with child knowledge, but exploratory analyses suggested that frequency of particular types of support were related. Frequency of parents' number support of counting objects and approximate magnitude correlated negatively with child Time 1 and Time 2 numeracy and general math knowledge r(45)'s= -.331 to -.412, p's<.03. Frequency of parents' pattern identification support was positively correlated with child patterning at Time 1 r(45)=.344, p<.02 and Time 2 r(45)=.328, p<.03 and math knowledge at Time 2 r(45)=.314, p<.04. Parents' spatial location and direction support correlated negatively to Time 1 form perception r(45)= -.348, p<.02 and VSWM at Time 1 r(45)= -.308, p<.04, and Time 2 r(45)= -.300, p<.055.

Thus, parents broadly support math during play with their preschoolers, although they emphasize numeracy more than other topics. Importantly, particular types of support were related to children's skills for that content area/topic and sometimes to general math knowledge. The relations were positive for patterns, but negative for number and spatial. This suggests that parents provide broad support to both challenge their children in areas of strength and to address children's weaknesses.

Authors

• Erica L Zippert, Vanderbilt university
  Presenting Author

• Michele R Smith, University of Washington
  Non-Presenting Author

• Bethany Rittle-Johnson, Vanderbilt University
  Non-Presenting Author