Relations between parent and child math talk with math performance for dual language learners

• In Event: Poster Session 08
  In Poster Session: PS 08 Topic - Education, Schooling

Abstract

Mathematics is one of the most important skills needed to succeed in the 21st century (Jordan et al., 2003). The home mathematics environment (HME) is related to children’s early mathematics development (LeFevre et al., 2009; Hart et al., 2016). However, little work on the HME focuses on dual language learners (DLL), and that work did not find a link between the HME and numeracy performance for DLLs in preschool (Kung et al., 2020). Thus, it is important to evaluate alternative methods of measuring parent-child math-related interactions such as parent-child math talk and its association with children’s numeracy performance. The goal of the current study was to examine parent and child number and math language talk in DLLs during a non-mathematical picture book reading session and the association between that talk and children’s numeracy and math language performance.

Sixty parent-child dyads participated in this study. Children were 3 to 6 years old (M = 4.26, SD = 0.79, 52.5% girls, 58 Latino/a, 2 biracial/other race). Twenty six percent of parents had at least a two-year degree. As part of a larger study, dyads were videotaped reading The Ugly Duckling, which included text in both English and Spanish. Parent-child talk was transcribed and coded for use of number words including individual use of number terms, count sequences, and math related questions and math language (see Table 1 for examples). Nothing in the story explicitly prompted any math discussion, but there were opportunities for parents to discuss math with their child. Children’s numeracy skills were assessed using a numeracy screener (Preschool Early Numeracy Skills – Brief Screener; Purpura et al., 2015) and a measure of math language (Preschool Assessment of the Language of Mathematics; Purpura & Logan, 2015).

Results showed that there was significant variation in both parents’ and children’s math language use and number talk (see Table 1). On average, 3.53 (SD = 3.11) math language terms were used by parents and 1.38 math language terms words were used by children during the 2 to 3 minute reading session. Similarly, 3.77 number words were used by parents and 0.92 number words were used by children. Parent mathematical language use and number talk were significantly related to children’s mathematical language use and number talk. However, parents’ math language and number talk were not significantly correlated with children’s numeracy and math language performance (Table 2). In contrast, child math language use and number talk were significantly and positively correlated with their math language and numeracy performance (see Table 2).

The findings help us to understand more about the home math environment of Spanish-English DLLs and how parent and child math-related interactions relate to children’s mathematics performance. Future research should address the mechanisms and directionality of how parent-child mathematical language use and number talk are related to one another and how they may be related to children’s mathematics development. Implications of these findings will be discussed.

Authors

• Leroy Medrano, Purdue University
  Presenting Author

• Erica L. Zippert, Purdue University, West Lafayette
  Non-Presenting Author

• Sara Anne Schmitt, University of Oregon
  Non-Presenting Author

• David James Purpura, Purdue University, West Lafayette
  Non-Presenting Author