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Intervention: SRA Real Math Building Blocks PreK

Overview1

SRA Real Math Building Blocks PreK (also referred to as Building Blocks for Math) is a supplemental mathematics curriculum designed to develop preschool children's early mathematical knowledge through various individual and small- and large-group activities. It uses Building Blocks for Math PreK software, manipulatives, and print material. Building Blocks for Math embeds mathematical learning in children's daily activities, ranging from designated math activities to circle and story time, with the goal of helping children relate their informal math knowledge to more formal mathematical concepts.

Research

Two studies of Building Blocks for Math met the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) evidence standards. 2 They included over 250 preschool children from New York State. This report focuses on immediate posttest findings to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. 3 The WWC considers the extent of evidence for Building Blocks for Math to be small for mathematics achievement. No studies that met WWC evidence standards with or without reservations addressed oral language, print knowledge, phonological processing, early reading/writing, or cognition.

Effectiveness

Building Blocks for Math was found to have positive effects on mathematics achievement.

  Oral language Print knowledge Phonological processing Early reading/ writing Cognition Math
Rating of effectiveness na na na na na Positive effects
Improvement index4 na na na na na Average: +36 percentile points
Range: +27 to +42 percentile points
na = not applicable
1 The descriptive information for this program was obtained from publicly available sources: the research literature (Clements & Sarama, 2006, June; Clements & Sarama, 2007; Clements & Sarama, 2002; Clements & Sarama, n. d. ; Sarama & Clements, 2003), and the program description provided by the author upon the WWC request. The WWC requests developers to review the program description sections for accuracy from their perspective. Further verification of the accuracy of the descriptive information for this program is beyond the scope of this review.
2 To be eligible for the WWC's review, the Early Childhood Education (ECE) intervention had to be implemented in English in center-based settings with children aged three to five or in preschool.
3 The evidence presented in this report is based on available research. Findings and conclusions may change as new research becomes available.
4 These numbers show the average and range of student-level improvement indices for all findings across the studies.