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Numeracy and Mathematics Block-Based Assessment (NUMBBA) and practice supports

Background

In early childhood education and care (ECEC), assessment is part of the planning cycle for children’s learning and development. However, there are very few valid and reliable assessment tools suitable in ECEC that are formative, are play-based and that educators want to use.

Mathematics is a critical domain of children’s learning and the strongest predictor of life success. Without assessment, ECEC educators are unsure how to enhance children’s mathematical learning to highlight both gaps and strengths in children’s mathematical abilities to inform the next steps in planning.

Our solution

NUMBBA is a novel approach to assessment; is play-based that aligns with educators’ framework of practice, and assesses domains of mathematics that are often overlooked in ECEC but are strong predictors of later mathematics achievement.

NUMBBA practice supports include teaching strategies, mathematical content knowledge, and professional learning that will equip educators with the tools to enhance children’s mathematical learning identified by NUMBBA.

Benefits

  1. Psychometrically strong, valid and reliable: ECEC educators can be confident that it captures a child’s mathematical capability without covering all areas of mathematics. It provides a clear picture of a child’s mathematical capabilities in patterning, symmetry and number.
  2. Educative: NUMBBA and practice supports build educator capacity to view early mathematics as more than just numbers; develops content knowledge and increases confidence.
  3. Uses familiar materials and is ecologically sound: Aligns with ECEC practice and frameworks; is play-based, utilises blocks, is engaging and does not feel like an assessment for either educators or children.
  4. Includes practice supports: Resources and professional learning developed to support educators to plan for children’s mathematical learning.

Researcher

Dr Joanne Grimmond

Recent publications

The Effectiveness of a Formative Play-Based Mathematics Assessment in Supporting the Early childhood Intentional Pedagogue.