Early Mathematical Performance in Finnish Kindergarten and Grade One

Abstract

The present study assessed Finnish kindergarten (N = 177, Mage = 76.4 months, SD = 3.7 months) and grade one (N = 178, Mage = 87.2 months, SD = 3.7 months) children's mathematical skills in the beginning of the school year. The mathematical skills were assessed once using researcher-developed paper-pencil tests. The variance analysis (ANOVA) was used to study the effects of age and gender on performance level. Boys and girls performed similarly in both samples, but age effects were found in the kindergarten and first grade; older children performed higher than younger ones. The older children may have had more opportunities to practise and get acquainted with mathematical issues, as the age difference between the youngest and the oldest child in the classroom can be up to one year. Children performing at or below the 25th percentile in both samples showed significantly weaker performance in several mathematical skills (i.e., number word sequences, enumeration, and addition and subtraction), compared to other performance groups. On the other hand, many children already understood in the beginning of the school year much of what is considered in mathematics curriculum and materials in their forthcoming school year in the kindergarten or the first grade.

Development of a Preschool Teachers’ Pedagogical Content Knowledge Scale regarding Mathematics

“…This process showed that mathematics program and education practices should be structured on a sound basis by taking into account both mathematical content areas and the developmental characteristics of children. Considering that pedagogical approaches supporting the development of mathematical skills are seen as effective in enhancing these skills in children (Mononen & Aunio, 2013); the importance of teachers' pedagogical content knowledge related to mathematics has become prominent (Gifford, 2005). Pedagogical content knowledge in education was originally proposed by Shulman (1986), and encompasses knowing what to teach according to age groups and integrating that with the knowledge of how to teach it.…”