Math preschoolers calculate better at 10 years

By William Atkins
Monday, 01 September 2008 19:06

Science - Biology

A British study has concluded that children who learn math in preschool are better in mathematics at the age of ten years than those who didn’t learn math in their early education.


The researchers analyzed data on over 2,500 children who attended preschool for 18 months, on average, and attended at least five years of elementary school by the age of ten years.

In fact, U.K. child development expert Edward Melhuish, a professor of human development at the Institute for the Study of Children, Families, and Social Issues, University of London, stated their study found that, on average, preschoolers who learned math in preschool performed 27% better on a standard math test at the age of 10 years than others who did not learn math in preschool studies.

The conclusion of the Melhuish study was published in the August 2008 issue of the journal Science.

The title of the paper is “Preschool Influences on Mathematics Achievement.”

It was authored by: Edward C. Melhuish (Institute for the Study of Children, Families, and Social Issues, Birkbeck, University of London, U.K.), Kathy Sylva (University of Oxford, U.K.), Pam Sammons (University of Nottingham, U.K.), Iram Siraj-Blatchford (Institute of Education, University of London, U.K.), Brenda Taggart (Institute of Education, University of London, U.K.), Mai B. Phan (University of Kent, U.K.), and Antero Malin (Institute for the Study of Children, Families and Social Issues, Birkbeck, University of London, U.K.).

The abstract to their paper states, “The advantages of home learning environment and preschool are apparent years later in children's math achievement.”

The Boston Globe comments on the advantages of universal preschool education. Please read page two for the details.