Parents’ and Teachers’ Practices, Beliefs, and Communication of Early Mathematics Learning

Authors

  • Jenny Yun-Chen Chan Orcid
    Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
  • Nicole R. Scalise Orcid
    Department of Human Development, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
  • Shirley Yuen Man Tsang
    Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
  • Hailey Hoi Lam Cheng
    Department of Early Childhood Education, The Education University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Abstract

Prior research showed that US parents engage children in numeracy versus spatial or pattern activities more frequently, and that children receive more literacy versus numeracy instruction. We examined Hong Kong parents’ and teachers’ frequency of engaging children in learning activities, their beliefs about the fixedness of math ability, and frequency of school-home communication about children’s learning across learning domains. A total of 154 parents (68.8% women; 96.1% Chinese) and 89 teachers (80.9% women; 89.9% Chinese) of kindergarten children completed an online survey. We found that (a) both parents and teachers engaged children in numeracy versus pattern activities more frequently; (b) parents’ and teachers’ fixedness beliefs about math ability did not predict their frequency of providing math activities; (c) compared to math, parents and teachers engaged children in language activities more frequently, and ethics and aesthetics activities less frequently; (d) teachers versus parents were more likely to report school-home communication. The findings extend prior research on home math environments and reveal ways in which parents and teachers can strengthen children’s math learning.