Math story time at home bolsters achievement in school

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2015-10/uoc-mst100515.php

Public Release: 8-Oct-2015
Math story time at home bolsters achievement in school
University of Chicago

Adding math talk to story time at home is a winning equation for children's math achievement, according to new research from the University of Chicago.

The study from psychologists Sian Beilock and Susan Levine shows a marked increase in math achievement among children whose families used Bedtime Math, an iPad app that delivers engaging math story problems for parents and children to solve together.

Even children who used the app with their parents as little as once a week saw gains in math achievement by the end of the school year. The app's effect was especially strong for children whose parents tend to be anxious or uncomfortable with math.

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Previous research from this group has demonstrated the importance of adults' attitudes about math for children's math success. For example, a recent study found that math-anxious parents who help their children with math homework actually undermine their children's math achievement.

The new findings demonstrate that structured, positive interactions around math at home can cut the link between parents' uneasiness about math and children's low math achievement.

"Many Americans experience high levels of anxiety when they have to solve a math problem, with a majority of adults feeling at least some apprehension toward math," said Beilock, professor in Psychology and author of Choke, a book about stress and performance. "These math-anxious parents are probably less likely to talk about math at home, which affects how competent their children are in math. Bedtime Math encourages a dialogue between parents and kids about math, and offers a way to engage in high-quality math interactions in a low-effort, high-impact way."

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