Early maths screening needed to stop students falling behind

Better early identification of students struggling with mathematics is a critical step in addressing underachievement

? Evidence shows virtually all students can reach proficiency in mathematics, if they receive systematic and high-quality instruction. But data from national and international testing shows too many Australian students are not meeting proficiency benchmarks. Those who fall behind often do so early in their school experience and rarely catch up.

? Successive reviews have advocated for better assessment tools for early identification of students at risk and subsequent intervention. In particular, screening tools that are administered to all students can ‘flag’ students who are at-risk of later difficulties with mathematics without additional support. For students needing additional support, the chances of positive outcomes are significantly higher when intervention is early and evidence-based.

? For intervention outcomes to be improved, a universal and systematic approach is needed for the early years of school. Effective early maths screening — particularly through a universal numeracy screener in Year 1 — could improve the opportunity for Australian students to be confident and successful in the subject.

Effective early screening measures should focus on robust models of number sense

? There are several early markers of students’ likelihood to experience difficulty in mathematics, including malleable skills such as ‘number sense’.

? Number sense represents a body of core knowledge about whole numbers, which predicts mathematics achievement and underlies the development of more complex mathematical skills and knowledge. Number sense encompasses the three domains of number (including saying, reading, and writing numbers), number relations (comparing and understanding numbers in terms of ‘more’ and ‘less’) and number operations (understanding and facility with addition and subtraction).

? Number sense is ‘teachable' and students who receive quality early interventions in number sense can experience significant and lasting benefits.

? However, awareness of, and screening for, these key foundational skills is not systematically implemented in Australian schools. This means students at risk are not consistently identified early enough to maximise their chance of success.

Current student assessments in Australia do not meet adequate standards for universal screening

? Evidence shows effective maths screening approaches have some characteristics in common. Mathematics screeners must be efficient, reliable and directly inform teaching practice. Importantly, they must be designed to reflect research about the skills and knowledge that are most predictive of future maths success, so the right children are identified for additional support. Screening tools must classify children as ‘at-risk’ or ‘not at-risk’ with acceptable accuracy to enable support to be appropriately allocated to where it is needed.

? However, current approaches to early mathematics assessment do not represent an efficient or effective approach to ‘screening’. Tools currently in use are largely diagnostic in nature or measure achievement rather than risk. Such tools are important within a broad approach to assessment but were not designed and are not suitable for screening purposes.

? The Year 1 Number Check, developed in response to previous recommendations for a consistent screening tool based on number sense in Year 1, is not widely used or fit for purpose in its current form. A new or significantly redesigned tool is needed which accurately represents the skills with predictive value in Year 1, is based on a robust model of what constitutes ‘number sense,’ and which measures not only knowledge and strategies but fluency with that knowledge. This tool should be research validated to ensure its accuracy in identifying risk.

Policymakers should take action to widely implement effective screening and intervention

? Policymakers should implement a research-validated, nationally-consistent screening tool which measures aspects of the three domains of ‘number sense,’ consistent with the established research base.

? Screening tools designed on a conceptual model of ‘number sense’ should be developed for both Foundation and Year 1, and implemented with all students at least two times per year (beginning and middle of year). Executive summary

o The second testing period in Year 1 should be consistent across all Australian schools and used for central data collection.

o A final testing period towards the end of Term 4 should involve a standardised test of maths achievement. This can help schools to evaluate how successful the teaching program has been and track students’ progress over time as they move through Primary School.

? Teachers and schools should be supported with professional learning programs to enable more intensive teaching for at-risk students. Systems should provide access to evidence-based tools for intervention, and the resources with which to deliver these to students identified through screening.

? Maths screening should occur within a multi-tiered framework which includes systematic processes for assessment and instruction at three tiers. Existing tools should be realigned to this framework, and progress monitoring tools developed.

? Early screening and intervention is necessary but not sufficient for some students to maintain pace with grade-level curriculum. Systematic screening and intervention resources and processes are also needed for middle and upper grades.

Kelly is a Senior Research Associate at CIS working on evidence-based identification and intervention processes for students with or at risk of maths difficulties. She has previously worked as a university lecturer, educational consultant, product developer, consultant teacher and classroom teacher with a particular focus on effective intervention within a multitiered system of support (MTSS).?