How Children Learn Math

This book is written for people who teach or support young learners in math, including those still in teacher preparation and those already working in classrooms. It is also meant for parents of children from preschool through fifth grade. Its central aim is to connect what researchers have learned about how young minds develop mathematical thinking with the practical question of how that knowledge can shape elementary instruction.

The chapters follow the course of children's mathematical growth, starting with the intuitive sense of quantity children bring to school and moving on to the word problems they meet later. Each section gathers the most recent developmental research on mathematical cognition, explains what the evidence shows, and then considers what it means for the classroom. The book is richly illustrated throughout.

The authors bring together years of work in cognitive learning research, clinical evaluation of how children learn, and hands-on experience with both teachers and students. The book also helps readers recognize math learning difficulties that may appear in higher grades.

Readers need not have a background in cognitive development. The text translates technical findings into plain language and pairs them with concrete suggestions. It suits future early childhood, elementary and special education teachers, early career researchers, and practicing teachers, supervisors, administrators, school psychologists, homeschooling parents and other educators seeking professional development.