Improving Numeracy Skills in First Graders with Low Performance in Early Numeracy: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Anita López-Pedersen, Riikka Mononen, Pirjo Aunio, Ronny Scherer, Monica Melby‐Lervåg
Abstract
Children with low performance in early numeracy are at risk of facing learning difficulties in mathematics, but few trials have examined how this can be ameliorated. A total of 120 first-grade children ( M age = 6.4 years) were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control condition. The 14-week intervention targeted early numeracy skills and was delivered in small groups three times a week. Immediately after the initial 8-week intervention phase, moderate and positive effects were found on early numeracy ( d = 0.19), word problem solving ( d = 0.41), and approximate number sense ( d = 0.35). However, only the effects on word problems were significant, and all effects disappeared after the children undertook a second 6-week intervention phase. Overall, results indicate that (a) early numeracy skills are malleable in low-performing children, but (b) frequent and long-term interventions are needed for the positive effects to last.