This text is part of the special booklet Back to school with all the challenges
To multiply the chances that our children will have the hump of mathematics, a playful initiation from preschool can be useful. A report by the Center for Studies on Learning and Performance (CEAP) at the University of Quebec in Montreal (UQAM), published last April, identified 145 studies that had evaluated the effectiveness of interventions supporting the learning of numeracy before the first year of elementary school. According to its authors, although lasting effects on long-term success have not yet been fully demonstrated, the approach is promising.
“You could say that numeracy is the foundation of mathematics. The Anglo-Saxons speak evocatively of the intuition of number (number-sense),” explains Eric Dion, professor in the Department of Specialized Education and Training at UQAM and co-author of the CEAP report. These bases, which cover for example the understanding of the idea of quantity or the knowledge of numbers, provide a foundation for the formal learning of mathematics in primary school. They are sometimes acquired informally at home, but can also be taught in a more structured form in the context of playful preschool activities (manipulative materials, digital games on tablets, etc.).
Learn by playing
Learning numeracy before first grade may shock some people for whom preschoolers should play freely. “They sometimes call it chocolate-covered broccoli: it looks good and appealing, but we’re sneaking in on the kids something they didn’t want,” explains Eric Dion, who does not agree with this analysis. Parents often use this strategy to convince their children to do activities conducive to their development, and it works, he observes.
Conversely, “in some educated circles in the United States, parents worry when a student does not read like an adult at age 5,” regrets Mr. Dion. Without falling into this excess, he considers it useful to teach numeracy in preschool while preserving two essential things: the playful aspect and the absence of formal expectations in relation to learning. The game is worth the candle. “Children who enter primary school with a good foundation (those who already know letters and numbers, for example) tend to have an easier time succeeding in school and less likely to drop out. It’s very well established,” says the professor.
Lasting effects to be specified
The authors of the report wanted to understand whether preschool stimulation activities equalize children’s chances of success later on. They were surprised to see a loss of learning over the long term. “After a few weeks or a few months, the retention is not perfect. This means that at this age, things have to be redone regularly,” interprets Stéphane Cyr, professor in the Department of Mathematics at UQAM and co-author of the report. Eric Dion recommends for his part to make dynamic evaluations to evaluate the gains. “We take ten minutes to re-teach the content to the child. Then, we see if it comes to wake them up, ”he describes.
The CEAP has invited the American professor Drew Bailey for a conference which will be accessible free of charge in person or by Zoom, on October 7, on the effects of early educational interventions. In particular, he will explain why their dissipation can coexist with the persistence of skills. The report also mentions clearer positive results of these interventions on students with difficulties. “Montreal studies have shown a cumulative and lasting effect of stimulating activities in kindergarten and in the first year of elementary school, on children who were weaker at the start of kindergarten,” emphasizes Eric Dion. These are precisely the people who most need support.
Efficient, manipulable material
“The experiments carried out using manipulable materials led to better learning than the others”, also underlines Stéphane Cyr. Here again, students in difficulty are winners. “Approaches based on manipulation make it possible to get them and their gains are greater,” rejoices the specialist in primary school mathematics.
Also an expert in educational games in mathematics, Mr. Cyr was not surprised. “That’s my adage in teaching this subject. Unfortunately, we forget to make things concrete, to manipulate and to have fun in primary and secondary school. This approach that we recommend in preschool works very well at any age! he encourages.