A Kindergarten Number-Sense Intervention With Contrasting Practice Conditions for Low-Achieving Children

Area of Science:

• Early Childhood Education
• Mathematics Education
• Educational Psychology

Background:

• Low-achieving kindergartners often struggle with foundational number sense.
• Effective interventions are crucial for early mathematics success.
• Identifying optimal practice methods post-intervention is key.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a research-based number-sense intervention for low-achieving kindergartners.
• To compare the effects of number-fact practice versus number-list practice after the intervention.
• To determine the intervention's impact on English learners.

Main Methods:

• 126 kindergartners were randomly assigned to three groups: intervention with number-fact practice, intervention with number-list practice, or a control group.
• Interventions consisted of 24 half-hour small-group lessons.
• Outcomes were assessed at immediate and delayed posttests (8 weeks later).

Main Results:

• Both intervention groups outperformed the control group in number sense, arithmetic fluency, and general math achievement immediately after the intervention.
• The number-fact practice group showed significantly better outcomes than the number-list practice group at the delayed posttest.
• The number-fact practice condition demonstrated particular effectiveness in improving math gains for English learners.

Conclusions:

• A structured number-sense intervention is effective for improving early math skills in at-risk kindergartners.
• Number-fact practice following number-sense intervention enhances long-term math achievement.
• Targeted practice strategies, like number-fact drills, can be especially beneficial for diverse learners, including English learners.