Do Home Mathematical Activities Help Kids with Math Skills?
Author Information
Author(s): Ella James‐Brabham, Claudia C. von Bastian, Carmel Brough, Emma Blakey
Primary Institution: Centre for Early Mathematics Learning, Loughborough University
Conclusion
Engaging in home mathematical activities is positively related to children's early mathematical skills, but the effect is small.
Supporting Evidence
- A small significant positive relation was found (r = .13).
- The meta-analysis included 351 effect sizes from 72 samples.
- Findings suggest that the frequency of home mathematical activities is positively related to children's mathematical skills.
- Risk of bias was found to moderate the effect size.
- Children's age and geographical location did not significantly moderate the relation.
Takeaway
Doing math activities at home can help kids get better at math, but it doesn't make a huge difference.
Methodology
A systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis of 72 samples from 20 countries, focusing on the frequency of home mathematical activities and their relation to mathematical skills in children aged 7 years and under.
Potential Biases
Higher risk of bias was associated with larger reported effects.
Limitations
The study's findings may be influenced by the risk of bias in the included studies, and the small effect size raises questions about the practical significance of the results.
Participant Demographics
Children aged 7 years and under, with a mean age of 61 months.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.001
Confidence Interval
[.10, .16]
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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