Teaching Math to Young Children focuses on five evidence-based recommendations based on children ages 3 through 6 who are enrolled in preschool, prekindergarten, and kindergarten programs. This Institute of Education Sciences (IES) guide highlights three common themes:
- Early math instruction should include multiple content areas;
- Developmental progressions can help guide instruction and assessment; and
- Children should have regular and meaningful opportunities to learn and use math.
The five evidence-based recommendations are:
- Teach number and operations using a developmental progression;
- Teach geometry, patterns, measurement, and data analysis using a developmental progression;
- Use progress monitoring to ensure that math instruction builds on what each child knows;
- Teach children to view and describe their world mathematically; and
- Dedicate time each day to teaching math and integrate math instruction throughout the school day.
Four of the five recommendations meet the minimal evidence criteria for the IES levels of evidence for practice guides.
