Role of home mathematics activities and mothers’ maths talk in predicting children’s maths talk and early maths skills

ABSTRACT

Children possess different levels of mathematical skills when they begin their formal education. The home environment perhaps holds the key to such disparate maths skills in children’s in early years. The aim of this study is to examine home maths activities and mothers’ maths talk as the predictors of children’s maths talk and early maths skills. The home interactions of 40 preschool children (M = 56.3 months) and their mothers were audio-recorded and their maths talk were analysed. Mothers reported the frequency of their home maths activities while each child’s early maths skills were assessed. Mothers’ maths talk in each maths category correlated with children’s maths talk. Unlike home maths activities, mothers’ maths talk predicted the children’s maths talk. Hierarchical regression analysis indicated that home maths activities and mothers’ maths talk were important predictors of children’s early maths skills. Findings confirmed the significance of maternal support, including home activities and maths talk, in children’s maths development.

KEYWORDS:

• Home maths environment
• early maths skills
• maths talk
• home maths activities
• early years

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank the children and families who dedicated their time by participating in the study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study was produced from the doctoral dissertation conducted by the first author under the supervision of the second author. This work was supported by Cukurova University under [grant number SDK-2017-8086].