Engaging Families as Children's First Mathematics Educators

1. Front Matter

   Pages i-viii

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2. Introduction

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1

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   2. Engaging Families as the First Mathematics Educators of Children

      • Sivanes Phillipson, Peter Sullivan, Ann Gervasoni

      Pages 3-14

3. Key Foci and Pedagogical Actions That Support Young Children’s Mathematics Learning

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 15-15

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   2. Describing the Mathematical Intentions of Early Learning Childhood Experiences

      • Peter Sullivan, Ann Gervasoni, Sivanes Phillipson

      Pages 17-32

   3. Mathematics with Infants and Toddlers

      • Susanne Garvis, Eva Nislev

      Pages 33-46

   4. Enumeration: Counting Difficulties Are Not Always Related to Numbers

      • Claire Margolinas, Floriane Wozniak, Olivier Rivière

      Pages 47-63

   5. Discerning and Supporting the Development of Mathematical Fundamentals in Early Years

      • Camilla Björklund, Niklas Pramling

      Pages 65-80

   6. Number Stories

      • Judith A. Mousley

      Pages 81-101

4. Home Interactions and Learning Experiences That Support Early Mathematical Learning

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 103-103

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   2. Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Home and Family Experiences and Young Children’s Early Numeracy Learning

      • Carl J. Dunst, Deborah W. Hamby, Helen Wilkie, Kerran Scott Dunst

      Pages 105-125

   3. Parental Perceptions of Access to Capitals and Early Mathematical Learning: Some Early Insights from Numeracy@Home Project

      • Sivanes Phillipson, Gerarda Richards, Peter Sullivan

      Pages 127-145

   4. Involving Parents in Games and Picture Books

      • Julia Streit-Lehmann

      Pages 147-163

   5. Do Hong Kong Parents Engage in Learning Activities Conducive to Preschool Children’s Mathematics Development?

      • Richard Kwok Shing Wong

      Pages 165-178

5. Family and Educator Partnerships That Support Early Mathematical Learning

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 179-179

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   2. Working with Parents to Promote Preschool Children’s Numeracy: Teachers’ Attitudes and Beliefs

      • Dina Tirosh, Pessia Tsamir, Esther Levenson, Ruthi Barkai

      Pages 181-198

   3. Bringing Families and Preschool Educators Together to Support Young Children’s Learning Through Noticing, Exploring and Talking About Mathematics

      • Ann Gervasoni

      Pages 199-216

   4. Supporting Early Mathematics Learning: Building Mathematical Capital Through Participating in Early Years Swimming

      • Robyn Jorgensen

      Pages 217-233

   5. Fostering Children’s Everyday Mathematical Knowledge Through Caregiver Participation in Supported Playgroups in Schools

      • Susan Edwards, Karen McLean, Pamela Lambert

      Pages 235-246

6. Conclusion

   1. Front Matter

      Pages 247-247

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This book explores how professionals can engage and inspire parents to support their young children’s mathematics learning. Bringing together international experts, researchers and scholars, it proposes a framework for engaging with and supporting parents, including those who are less aware of the crucial development of children’s mathematical skills in the early years. Focusing on mathematics learning from birth to 5 years, the book’s underlying assumption is that it is possible to offer guidance to professionals working with families with young children concerning how to engage and support families in the area of mathematics learning, including those families who seem alienated from education services. Specifically, the respective chapters present a framework for understanding children’s early mathematical development and the important role of families in this regard. They describe effective strategies for engaging families in their children’s mathematics learning, including those who are marginalised and experience multiple disadvantages, so that all families can best support their children’s mathematical learning and their development of positive attitudes towards learning. In closing, hurdles and opportunities within the systems surrounding family engagement are addressed.

• Early mathematical learning
• family educator partnerships
• family engagement
• mathematics beginnings
• numeracy learning in the early years
• supporting young children learning

“This book geminated from an early childhood numeracy project in Australia titled Numeracy@Home. … As a mathematics teacher educator I found this book rich in material that I can use to inform my pre-service teachers’ appreciation of the earliest mathematical experiences of the children they will teach. … the volume should be of interest to mathematics teacher educators. … The book contains many activities and references to common materials and games that can be effortlessly incorporated into daily family activities.” (Katherine Safford-Ramus, MAA Reviews, October, 2017)

• Faculty of Education, Monash University, Clayton, Australia

  Sivanes Phillipson, Ann Gervasoni, Peter Sullivan

Sivanes Phillipson is Associate Professor of Family Studies at the Faculty of Education, Monash University. Sivanes has diverse  international  experience  and knowledge  base  in  the  broad  field  of  measurements  and systems   approaches   to   families   and   education, with expertise in large data set analysis and modeling. Her current projects include an Australian Research Council funded project on numeracy learning at home and a nation wide survey on family perspectives around educational resources. 


Ann Gervasoni is Associate Professor of Numeracy at the Faculty of Education, Monash University in Melbourne. Ann has worked in educational research, teacher education, professional learning and primary teaching for 35 years. She was a member of the research team for the Australian Early Numeracy Research Project (1999-2001) in Victoria, and research director for the Bridging the Numeracy Gap project in Western Australia and Victoria (2009-2010). Ann’s research and scholarship focus on mathematics education in early childhood and primary education, mathematics intervention approaches for students who are mathematically at-risk, and community approaches for supporting the learning of those most vulnerable in our community.


Peter Sullivan, originally a teacher of mathematics, is currently Emeritus Professor at Monash University. He has extensive experience in research and teaching in teacher education. He was a member of the Social, Behavioural and Economic Sciences panel of the Australian Research Council College of Experts from 2005 to 2008, and was an editor of the Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education for 8 years. He is a past President of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers, author of the Shape Paper and lead writer of the Australian Curriculum: Mathematics.

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