Blog – Early Mathematics Matters!

Early Mathematics Matters

As well as working as the Head of the Bright Futures Early Years Stronger Practice Hub, Donna works as the Early Years SCITT Lead within Bright Futures Teaching School Hubs. She has worked in early years for over 20 years in various roles including work in schools, PVIs, children’s centres and local authorities. Donna is passionate about the teaching of early mathematics, particularly within the 0-3s age ranges and currently teaches early mathematical teaching and learning to trainee early years trainee teachers. This blog outlines key research and resources which can be used to support the teaching of early mathematics within childminder, daycare and school settings.

Children are born mathematicians

From birth babies are exploring the space around them, judging distances as they reach to grab things and noticing the properties of objects such as big/small, round/square etc. They also are becoming aware of patterns in songs and rhymes and within everyday routines and noticing changes in quantities when small groupings of objects change. Babies also very early on notice the difference between familiar and new adults (sorting and classifying). These first mathematical concepts can really develop very early through everyday experiences and interactions with key adults.

Why is having good foundations in early mathematics important?

The importance of children’s mathematical skills for later mathematical outcomes is well researched (Clements et al, 2019) and includes clear, established links between mathematical skills and early learning (including links to early reading outcomes), with key skills such as spatial reasoning (Verdine et al 2017), pattern awareness (Rittle-Johnson et al 2016) and children developing strong early number sense (Nunes & Bryant 2015) being crucial. As well as developing numeracy (understanding and using numbers), having strong foundations in early mathematics helps with skills such as problem-solving, understanding and using shapes and measures and developing spatial awareness (NDNA, 2021).Building on the research, in 2021, reforms to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework brought changes to the previous mathematical areas of learning and development to focus more on helping children to gain strong foundations in number skills, understanding numbers to 10 and exploring shapes and measures through play and everyday activities, (DfE, 2021). 

The importance of understanding child development and key mathematical concepts

The National Centre for Excellence in the Teaching of Mathematics (NCTEM) highlights six key areas of early mathematical learning which serve as foundations for success in children’s mathematical learning and development. These are as listed below, and come with key resources which can be found linked to each strand on the NCETM website to help practitioners teach each concept effectively: – 

• Cardinality and counting – children developing confident counting skills and recognising the ‘how many ness’ of numbers.
• Comparison – comparing two or more numbers to find which is more/less (how many), smaller/greater (size) or before/after (order).
• Composition – numbers being made up of other numbers. 3 is made up of 2 and 1 as well as 1, 1 and 1, also 3 and 0.
• Pattern – looking for and finding patterns to help children notice and understand mathematical relationships.
• Shape and Space – gaining understanding of what happens when shapes move or combine with other shapes – this helps develop wider mathematical thinking.
• Measures – comparison of different aspects such as length, weight and volume, as a preliminary to using units to compare later.

Within each section, there are free, downloadable progression charts which show the key developmental stages of children’s learning in each with suggested activities and resources which can support the teaching of each stage in this. Through staff clearly knowing these developmental stages, then within everyday routines and provision time, teachable moments can be built on through responsive and focused mathematical interactions between adults and children.

The NCETM progression chart for Cardinality and Counting – https://www.ncetm.org.uk/in-the-classroom/early-years/

Effective teaching of early mathematics

The Education Endowment Foundation ‘Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1’ reviews the best evidence to offer five recommendations for developing Maths skills (aimed at 3–7-year-olds but there are lots of things in there which can be also used with younger children too). This includes: –

1. Developing practitioners’ understanding of how children learn mathematics (including the key typical development stages of early mathematical development) as highlighted above.
2. Dedicating time for children to learn mathematics and integrate this throughout the day – this includes exploring mathematics in different contexts such as in songs, rhymes and games and opportunities to engage in mathematical discussions linked to children’s play.
3. Use manipulatives and representations to develop understanding – using well chosen resources to make often abstract mathematical concepts more ‘real’ and understandable i.e. using fingers to count and using real objects and meaningful routines to explain mathematical concepts.
4. Ensure that teaching builds on what children already know by observing and listening carefully to children to assess and then sensitively build on and extend learning.
5. Use high quality targeted support to help all children learn mathematics by offering extra and focused support where needed.

Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and KS1 Summary of Recommendations (EEF) – https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/education-evidence/guidance-reports/early-maths

Maths is everywhere!

As adults, we use mathematical language all the time (Naeyc, 2012), often without realising it i.e. using comparison words such as big/small to describe objects, working out how to pack shopping correctly in carrier bags at the supermarket (special awareness) and working out a weekly family budget (number skills). In similar ways, children are naturally exploring mathematical concepts and language all the time within their play such as selecting the right shape in the construction area to make a bridge for the cars to roll over, exploring properties of materials in the creative area and talking about size, pattern and shape and helping to share out pieces of fruit at snack time so everyone has an equal amount. There are so many opportunities within out settings where we can build on children’s mathematical learning in fun and meaningful ways!

In summary, as practitioners it is important that we are aware of these playful and mathematically teachable moments. Almost like putting our ‘maths glasses’ on and viewing our home or group settings through the lenses of mathematical learning. As we gain a stronger understanding of what this learning looks like (using key child development milestones), these ‘glasses’ become more sharply focused.  Also, practitioners making sure that they respond effectively within their mathematical pedagogy by integrating mathematical learning throughout the day, using manipulatives to help understanding, building on what children already know and adapting teaching accordingly to support all learner needs. Finally, it goes without saying, making mathematical learning fun – if we enjoy mathematics ourselves then the children will too!

The hub will be developing some further training and resources around early mathematics very soon so please watch this space.

References

Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) – Early Mathematics https://educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk/early-years/evidence-store/early-mathematics

The development of children’s mathematical reasoning – Nunes and Bryant, 2015https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/9781118963418.childpsy217?msockid=0d6bda72c47069783470cf16c50a685a

The Early Years Foundation Stage Statutory Framework (DfE, 2024) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/early-years-foundation-stage-framework–2

The National Centre for the Teaching of Early Mathematics (NCTEM) https://www.ncetm.org.uk/in-the-classroom/early-years/

The roles of patterning and spatial skills in early mathematics development (Rittle et al, 2016) https://www.researchgate.net/publication/324135750_The_roles_of_patterning_and_spatial_skills_in_early_mathematics_development

Learning and Teaching Mathematics (Clements et at, 2019) –https://www.researchgate.net/publication/332182701_Double_Impact_Mathematics_and_Executive_Function

Spatial skills, their development and their links to early mathematics – Verdine et al, 2017 https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28181248/

Why is Maths so Important in Early Years? (NDNA, 2021) – https://ndna.org.uk/blog/early-years-maths-opportunities-for-development/#:~:text=Maths%20is%20important%20in%20early%20years%20as%20receiving,using%20shapes%20and%20measures%20and%20developing%20spatial%20awareness.