Deal Me in: Playing Cards in the Home to Learn Math

Recent meta-analyses have demonstrated a significant association between children’s early math achievement and their experiences with math at home, including their caregivers’ talk about math. However, few studies have investigated the relations between caregiver math talk and children’s learning wi...

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Main Authors: Nicole R. Scalise, Mary DePascale, Nadia Tavassolie, Claire McCown, Geetha B. Ramani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-03-01
Series:Education Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/3/190
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author Nicole R. Scalise
Mary DePascale
Nadia Tavassolie
Claire McCown
Geetha B. Ramani
author_facet Nicole R. Scalise
Mary DePascale
Nadia Tavassolie
Claire McCown
Geetha B. Ramani
author_sort Nicole R. Scalise
collection DOAJ
description Recent meta-analyses have demonstrated a significant association between children’s early math achievement and their experiences with math at home, including their caregivers’ talk about math. However, few studies have investigated the relations between caregiver math talk and children’s learning with experimental designs. Eighty-six children (<i>M</i> = 5.0 years) and their caregivers were randomly assigned to play either a numeracy or a shape card game at home for six weeks. Data were collected on children’s number and shape knowledge and families’ math talk during gameplay. There was substantial participant attrition (42% did not return completed materials), however, both an intent-to-treat analysis of the sample that received study materials and a subgroup analysis of study completers showed that children who played the shape game significantly improved their shape naming and matching skills relative to children who played the number game. Children who played the number game did not significantly improve their numerical skills relative to children who played the shape game. Mathematical talk during gameplay varied between families but was correlated over time within families. Caregivers’ and children’s talk about matching cards by shape or color predicted children’s learning from the shape game. The results suggest that despite receiving uniform instructions and materials, there was significant variability in children’s home math experiences that predicted their learning from the card game.
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spelling doaj.art-d42e11bda80141ad98c127eb36d955212023-11-30T21:00:30ZengMDPI AGEducation Sciences2227-71022022-03-0112319010.3390/educsci12030190Deal Me in: Playing Cards in the Home to Learn MathNicole R. Scalise0Mary DePascale1Nadia Tavassolie2Claire McCown3Geetha B. Ramani4Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697, USADepartment of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USADepartment of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USADepartment of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USADepartment of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USARecent meta-analyses have demonstrated a significant association between children’s early math achievement and their experiences with math at home, including their caregivers’ talk about math. However, few studies have investigated the relations between caregiver math talk and children’s learning with experimental designs. Eighty-six children (<i>M</i> = 5.0 years) and their caregivers were randomly assigned to play either a numeracy or a shape card game at home for six weeks. Data were collected on children’s number and shape knowledge and families’ math talk during gameplay. There was substantial participant attrition (42% did not return completed materials), however, both an intent-to-treat analysis of the sample that received study materials and a subgroup analysis of study completers showed that children who played the shape game significantly improved their shape naming and matching skills relative to children who played the number game. Children who played the number game did not significantly improve their numerical skills relative to children who played the shape game. Mathematical talk during gameplay varied between families but was correlated over time within families. Caregivers’ and children’s talk about matching cards by shape or color predicted children’s learning from the shape game. The results suggest that despite receiving uniform instructions and materials, there was significant variability in children’s home math experiences that predicted their learning from the card game.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/3/190home mathematics environmentmathematical talkmathematicsnumeracygeometry
spellingShingle Nicole R. Scalise
Mary DePascale
Nadia Tavassolie
Claire McCown
Geetha B. Ramani
Deal Me in: Playing Cards in the Home to Learn Math
Education Sciences
home mathematics environment
mathematical talk
mathematics
numeracy
geometry
title Deal Me in: Playing Cards in the Home to Learn Math
title_full Deal Me in: Playing Cards in the Home to Learn Math
title_fullStr Deal Me in: Playing Cards in the Home to Learn Math
title_full_unstemmed Deal Me in: Playing Cards in the Home to Learn Math
title_short Deal Me in: Playing Cards in the Home to Learn Math
title_sort deal me in playing cards in the home to learn math
topic home mathematics environment
mathematical talk
mathematics
numeracy
geometry
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/12/3/190
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