Quantitative Language and Numeracy Instruction: Contrasting Picture Book Interventions in Preschool

• In Event: Experimental Mathematics Interventions in Classrooms and Schoolyards to Promote Early Numeracy and Rational Number Learning

Abstract

Identifying ways to enhance mathematical instruction is crucial to understanding the ideal ways to promote academic success. Previous work has identified quantitative language (i.e., the words and concepts related to early mathematical development such as more, same, or similar) as a key mechanism that can be targeted to improve children’s development of early numeracy skills (e.g., counting, cardinality, and addition). Current recommendations suggest a combination of numeracy and quantitative language instruction to promote numeracy skills. However, there is limited direct support of this recommendation. The goal of this study was to examine the effects of quantitative language instruction, numeracy instruction, and a combined intervention on children’s quantitative language and numeracy skills. It was hypothesized that quantitative language instruction would have positive effects on both quantitative language and numeracy, numeracy instruction would have positive effects on only children’s numeracy, and the combined condition would have positive effects on both domains. 234 preschool children were randomly assigned to one of four conditions (quantitative language only, numeracy only, combined quantitative language and numeracy, or an active comparison). Children were 4.29 years old (SD=0.62), and 54% female, 50% of families had both parents with less than a 4-year college degree. 65% of participants were white, 9.8% were Black, 8.1% were Asian, 12% were multi-racial, 3.4% were Latine, and 1.7% not reported. Interventions occurred in small groups across eight weeks (3x/week=24 sessions) and delivered through researcher-designed picture books. Children were pretested on measures of numeracy, quantitative language, vocabulary, and cognitive flexibility. Interventions were delivered through a series of picture books read by trained interventionists. Children were post tested on measures of numeracy and quantitative language. To evaluate the effects of quantitative language instruction, we collapsed across the quantitative language and the combined condition and compared them to the numeracy and active comparison condition. Similarly, to evaluate the effects of numeracy instruction, we collapsed across the numeracy and combined conditions and compared to the quantitative language and active comparison conditions. To evaluate the effects of the combined condition, we compared that condition to a combination of all three other conditions. All analyses included covariates of numeracy, quantitative language, vocabulary, cognitive flexibility, age, sex, parental education, and dosage. Standard error adjustments were included to correct for clustering. Results indicated that quantitative language instruction had a significant positive effect on quantitative language skills (B=0.40, p=.018, d=0.33), but not on numeracy skills (B=-0.17, p=.731, d=-0.05). Numeracy instruction had no significant effects on quantitative language (B=0.05, p=.806, d=0.03) and no significant effect on numeracy skills (B=0.70, p=.166, d=0.19). Combined instruction had positive effects on quantitative language (B=0.44, p=.061, d=.29) and numeracy (B=1.18, p=.031, d=0.32).These findings suggest that instruction on quantitative language and numeracy resulted in the most robust effects on both quantitative language and numeracy outcomes. This was despite less total time on each content area individually as all interventions were delivered in the same amount of time. Implications for future research and intervention scale up will be discussed.

Authors

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

• Connor O'Rear, Purdue University, West Lafayette

• Alexa Ellis, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa

• Jessica Logan, Vanderbilt University

• Lauren Westerberg, Purdue University, West Lafayette

• Yemimah A. King, Spelman College

• Mackenna Vander Tuin, University of Texas

• Patrick Ehrman, Purdue University, West Lafayette

• Inga Nordgren, Purdue University, West Lafayette

• Kirsten Lee Anderson, Purdue University, West Lafayette

• Jimena Cosso, Pennsylvania State University, University Park

• Erica Zippert, University of Pittsburg

• Amy R Napoli, University of Nebraska - Lincoln

• Caroline Byrd Hornburg, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

• Sara Anne Schmitt, University of Oregon

• Jennifer E. Dobbs-Oates, Purdue University