Booked on Math: Developing Math Concepts in Pre-K Classrooms Using Interactive Read-Alouds

This paper outlines the development and implementation of a ten-week micro-curriculum, Booked on Math , designed to introduce preschool children to foundational mathematics concepts through interactive read-alouds. The Booked on Math curricula includes ten book readings and associated inquiry-based lesson plans. Booked on Math read-alouds and lesson plans were implemented across six preschool classrooms over a ten-week period in a university-based early childcare center. A total of 74 pre-kindergarten students participated in the project with four classrooms receiving the Booked on Math intervention and two classrooms serving as the control group. Pre- and post-test data on student learning outcomes were collected across seven Teaching Strategies GOLD (TS GOLD) mathematical constructs (counts, quantifies, connects numerals with quantity, spatial relationships, shapes, compares and measures, and knowledge of patterns). Results indicated statistically significant differences in treatment group post-test data for three TS GOLD constructs: (1) quantifies, (2) shapes, and (3) spatial relationships. Additional regression analyses indicated two TS GOLD constructs: (1) quantifies and (2) knowledge of patterns were significant predictors of children’s post-test outcomes after controlling for covariates (e.g., age and gender). To conclude, implications of the study and future research opportunities related to leveraging interactive read-alouds to teach early childhood mathematics concepts are discussed.