New studies have demonstrated that children who showed basic mathematical understanding in first grade mathematics tests maintain their grasp throughout primary school to Year 7, while their less successful classmates continued to lag behind.
Children who failed to grasp a basic understanding of numeracy skills greatly struggled to catch up after their stunted start, with those tested poorly in Grade 1 also receiving disappointing results in a similar test in Year 7.
Researchers were also quick to point out that one in five American adults were not capable of the basic numerical skills required in modern workplaces, which means that early identification of struggling students could alleviate otherwise life-long difficulties with numeracy.
The study, carried out by the National Institute of Health, followed the progress of children involved, and found that those who struggled with early understanding of basic mathematical skills never truly caught up, lacking the skills necessary to function in adult life. The tests largely measured number system knowledge; the ability to relate a quantity to the numerical digit that represents it.
The researchers found that early intervention could have significant long-term benefits, provided that the children were identified early in their educational institutes. The study has further solidified the importance of early childhood mathematical capabilities: read more here.
Welcome to the AMSI Schools blog! A place where the teachers we work with can go to find all of the bits and pieces we use in our Professional Development sessions. Along the way we'll look at developing teacher content knowledge and chat about ways to teach. We'll show you the lovely mathematical things we have been taught by the fantastic teachers we have met. We will also point you in the direction of some interesting websites and share mathsy news from around the world.
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