The Long Reach of Early Math Skills - Professor Greg Duncan
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The Long Reach of Early Math Skills Greg J. Duncan School of Education University of California, Irvine
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Professor Greg Duncan (School of Education, University of California, Irvine)'s presentation on the long-term effects of early math proficiency on student success in secondary and post-secondary education.
Transcript of The Long Reach of Early Math Skills - Professor Greg Duncan
The Long Reach of Early Math Skills
Greg J. Duncan
School of Education
University of California, Irvine
How important are K-5 math skills for completed schooling?
How important are school-entry math skills for school achievement?
How important are adolescent math skills for labor market success?
Skills and Behaviors
Achievement Engagement Problem Behaviors
Description: Concrete math and reading skills
Ability to control impulses and focus on tasks
i) Ability to get along with others
ii) Sound mental health
Example test areas or question wording:
Knowing letters and numbers;
beginning word sounds, word
problems
Can’t sit still; can’t
concentrate; score from a
computer test of impulse control
i) Cheats or tells lies, bullies, is disobedient at school
ii) Is sad, moody
Skill and behavior gaps between high- and low-income kindergarteners
Series1
-10
0
+106
+53
-27 -30Kindergarten gap 5th grade gap
Math achievement
Mental health
problemsAnti-social behavior
School en-gagement
Source: Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Kindergarten cohort.
Skill and behavior gaps between high- and low-income kindergarteners and fifth graders
Series1
-10
0
+106
+53
-27 -30
+121
+59
-42-31
Kindergarten gap 5th grade gap
Math achievement
Mental health
problemsAnti-social behavior
School en-gagement
Source: Early Childhood Longitudinal Study – Kindergarten cohort.
How important are school-entry math skills for school achievement?
How important are K-5 math skills for completed schooling?
How important are adolescent math skills for labor market success?
Effects of school-entry skills and behaviors on later achievement
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 400
Mental health
Reading
Math
EngagementAnti-social
Effects of school-entry skills and behaviors on later achievement
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 400
Mental health
Reading
MathEngagementAnti-social
Kindergarten teaching – hours/wk
All teachers Teachers in low-income schools
Reading 4.9 5.0
Math 3.1 3.1
Kindergarten student mastery vs. time spent teaching
Mastery by Fall K
Basic Counting & Shapes 95%
Patterns & Measurement 62%
Place value & Currency 25%
Addition & Subtraction 7%
11,517 students 2,176 teachers
Kindergarten student mastery vs. time spent teaching
Mastery by Fall K Mean Days/Month spent teaching
Basic Counting & Shapes 95% 12.70
Patterns & Measurement 62% 7.68
Place value & Currency 25% 8.61
Addition & Subtraction 7% 4.38
11,517 students 2,176 teachers
Instruction time and math achievement
B asi c math A d van ced math
0
-.041
+.065
All students Low-income students onlyMat
h le
arni
ng in
kin
derg
arte
n
Source: Claessens and Engel (under review)
Basic math instruction time
Advanced math instruction time
Instruction time and math achievement
B asi c math A d van ced math
0
-.041
+.065
-.029
+.056
All students Low-income students onlyMat
h le
arni
ng in
kin
derg
arte
n
Source: Claessens and Engel (under review)
Basic math instruction time
Advanced math instruction time
How important are school-entry math skills for school achievement?
How important are K-5 math skills for completed schooling?
How important are adolescent math skills for labor market success?
Effects of K-5 skills and behaviors on completed schooling
0 10 20 300
Effects of K-5 skills and behaviors on completed schooling
0 10 20 300
Anxiety Reading
Anti-socialAt-
ten-tion
Math
How important are school-entry math skills for school achievement?
How important are K-5 math skills for completed schooling?
How important are adolescent math skills for labor market success?
Effects of adolescent skills and behaviors on earnings
0 10 200
Effects of adolescent skills and behaviors on earnings
0 10 200
Anxiety Reading
Anti-socialAt-
ten-tion
Math
Why math? (preliminary)
• Structural story:
• teachers and schools provide extra opportunities for early math achievers?
• moderate math skills keeps kids out of special education?
Why math (con’t)?
• Motivational story:
• Math feedback is very concrete?
• Kids who don’t master math don’t think they are good at math or good at school?
Summary
• Early math is surprisingly important
• Kindergartent teachers spend much less time on math than reading
• Early math instruction is geared toward skills kids already know
• Math is also highly predictive of completed schooling and earnings
