Taking it to the classroom: Number board games as a small group learning activity.

Abstract

We examined whether a theoretically based number board game could be translated into a practical classroom activity that improves Head Start children's numerical knowledge. Playing the number board game as a small group leaming activity promoted low-income children's number line estimation, magnitude comparison, numeral identification, and counting. Improvements were also found when a paraprofessional from the children's classroom played the game with the children. Observations of the game-playing sessions revealed that paraprofessionals adapted the feedback they provided to individual children's improving numerical knowledge over the game-playing sessions and that children remained engaged in the board game play after multiple sessions. These fmdings suggest that the linear number board game can be used effectively in the classroom context.

Narrowing the early mathematics gap: A play-based intervention to promote low-income preschoolers’ number skills

“…These results add additional support to the growing literature of play-based mathematics interventions for lowincome and struggling early learners (Laski & Siegler, 2014;Ramani, Siegler, & Hitti, 2012;Räsänen, Salminen, Wilson, Aunio, & Dehaene, 2009;Whyte & Bull, 2008). Although many previous studies with low-income preschoolers have focused on linear number board game interventions designed to promote children's mental number line (e.g., Siegler & Ramani, 2009), a representation of their magnitude understanding, the current study suggests that numerical card games may lead to similar improvements in children's early math skills.…”

Bridging the gap: Fraction understanding is central to mathematics achievement in students from three different continents

“…For whole numbers, it has been shown that simple feedback interventions (Opfer & Siegler, 2007) and even numerical board games (Ramani & Siegler, 2008), in which children map numbers onto space, can substantially improve children's magnitude understanding. These interventions can be implemented in classrooms easily and effectively (Ramani, Siegler, & Hitti, 2012). The intervention effects are particularly strong for children from low-income households, who have fewer experiences in playing number games and have less numerical knowledge than their peers (Siegler, 2009).…”

Social Facilitation Due to Online Inter-classrooms Tournaments

“…According to the National Mathematics Advisory Panel [24], board games are "particularly effective in improving low-income preschoolers' numerical knowledge and reducing discrepancies in the numerical knowledge that children from low-and middle-income homes bring to school." They are engaging and effective for classroom context [18]. Espiral Mágico is a board game that has been designed to practice word problems using the curricular content selected by the teacher.…”