A new Regional Education Laboratory (REL) Appalachia toolkit produced by SRI and released by the Institute of Education Sciences will help teachers incorporate evidence-based math instruction for young students.
Since 2017, the SRI-led Regional Education Laboratory (REL) Appalachia has brought valuable learning resources to families and educators across Appalachia, at no cost to them.
Teaching Math to Young Children, a new toolkit produced by SRI in collaboration with Erikson Institute, Magnolia Consulting, and schools and districts across Virginia, is the latest impact-oriented project to emerge from REL Appalachia. The toolkit provides a new resource for teachers seeking to implement rigorous, engaging, and even joyous math instruction for young children.
“Over the course of five months, the toolkit equips teachers to make evidence-based math instruction vibrant and effective for young minds.” — Kerry Friedman
Supporting young learners with a strong foundation requires dedicated instructional time and effective strategies. As math test scores continue to fall across the US, prepping teachers to give young learners a solid mathematical footing is essential.
“Basic numeracy concepts are the building blocks to future mathematical literacy and success across a range of subjects. It’s vitally important to put young students on the right path,” observes Kerry Friedman, a principal education researcher and technical assistance provider at SRI who led the toolkit project.
Grounded in the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) Teaching Math to Young Children practice guide, a gold standard for evidence-based math education, the new toolkit is designed to support preschool, pre-K, and kindergarten educators in implementing evidence-based early math instruction. It includes professional learning modules, classroom activities, progress monitoring tools, and resources for leaders to support professional learning and institutionalize evidence-based practices. Developed in close collaboration with Virginia teachers, the materials were rigorously tested to ensure that they are practical and effective in the classroom.
“This toolkit synthesizes decades of education research and significant classroom testing,” Friedman emphasizes. “But the most important thing is that it’s practical and educator friendly. Over the course of five months, the toolkit equips teachers to make evidence-based math instruction vibrant and effective for young minds.”
This publication was prepared under Contract No. 91990022C0008 by Regional Educational Laboratory Appalachia, administered by SRI International. The content does not necessarily reflect the views or policies of IES or the U.S. Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
How can we prepare young students to succeed at math?
The Teaching Math to Young Children toolkit, produced by SRI and collaborators, includes numerous tools and resources designed to support professional learning and institutionalize evidence-based practices.
