EVERY CHILD COUNTS (MATH GAMES)
Using intuitive games to improve performance of primary level math among preschoolers and grade 1 students
Evidence shows that young children have capacity to engage with quantities and shapes from birth – an ability that can be nurtured during early childhood to enhance formal math skills during preschool and grade 1. Math Games kits with materials for students and teachers are useful in integrating such games into the formal curriculum, with learning gains persisting even one year after the introduction of games. Based on three studies conducted in Delhi, the Math Games curriculum is being scaled-up through a direct partnership with the Government of Andhra Pradesh; and through knowledge transfer to education sector NGOs working across three states.
Partners
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| State Council of Educational Research and Training, Andhra Pradesh | Government of Karnataka | Key Education Foundation | Pratham Education Foundation |
Early Childhood Education (ECE) is a national priority for India, reflected in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. The NEP commits to strong investment in ECE and includes recommendations for play-based, activity-based, and discovery-based learning. ECE plays a crucial role in shaping the cognitive and academic trajectory of students, emphasizing foundational mathematical skills. These skills are necessary for long-term success across different educational phases. Therefore, ECE is an important focus area during formative years, as it enables students to develop necessary math skills at an early stage prior to primary schooling.
To tackle the learning disparity faced by children, J-PAL affiliated researchers investigated the impact of informal math games played during school hours on children's readiness for learning formal math through a series of three evaluations in Delhi between 2013 and 2019. The aim was to enhance intuitive and formal numerical and spatial abilities, aiming to bridge the early learning gap. The first model tested the impact of the math games curriculum in Balwadis (preschools) run by Pratham, the second model tested a modified curriculum which now linked the math games to symbol systems of elementary school mathematics, and the third model tested the impact of the games in more traditional government-run kindergarten and grade 1 classrooms.
Evidence-to-action story
RESEARCH
In Phase 1 of the study (between 2013 and 2015), researchers investigated the effects of non-symbolic math games on over 1500 preschool children in 214 Pratham pre-schools throughout Delhi through a randomized evaluation. The Phase 2 study (between 2015 and 2017) introduced a modified curriculum in 231 Pratham pre-schools, incorporating three game suites: non-symbolic math, symbolic math, and a 'transition' set explicitly linking non-symbolic to symbolic math. The Phase 3 study (between 2018 and 2019) covered 141 government schools in Delhi, specifically focusing on Kindergarten and grade 1 classrooms to test the impact of implementing ‘transition’ games in formal and more traditional school contexts.
RESULTS
Results from the phase 1 revealed sustained improvements in non-symbolic math abilities but no significant impact on formal mathematics proficiency. Building from this, the modified design of the phase 2 study and the introduction of transition games for children exhibited notable and lasting gains in both symbolic and non-symbolic domains. Preliminary data from the phase 3 study show an improvement in math performance overall and in formal math abilities. Similarly, results for first graders indicate that overall math performance, formal math abilities and additionally, intuitive skills witnessed improvement.
SCALE-UP
J-PAL South Asia and Pratham are collaborating with the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), Andhra Pradesh, in 2,000 schools across the state, testing the model in anticipation of a state-wide roll-out. Presently, the focus is on integrating the curriculum into the state’s core math curriculum, training of teachers, and reducing the cost of math game kits – funded through ASPIRE.
J-PAL South Asia launched an innovative knowledge-transfer and certification program to help civil society organizations rapidly expand Every Child Counts in India, with the inaugural edition held in November 2023 in Delhi. The first cohort had participants from three NGOs: TiTLi Early Childhood Training Institute (TiTLi), Centre for Learning Resources (CLR), and Key Education Foundation (KEF). After the program, these NGOs piloted the curriculum in their respective communities, showing the potential of this model to expand the reach of the Every Child Counts program.The second Cohort of the NGO certification model will be a digital training course, which is expected to reduce costs and accelerate the reach of the curriculum.
In October 2024, J-PAL South Asia partnered with KEF to scale up the Every Child Counts program across 104 schools in collaboration with the Government of Karnataka. In addition, USAID DIV is supporting J-PAL South Asia to pilot and scale the Math Games curriculum across 4 more states – Delhi, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, and Maharashtra.
Point of contact
Parikrama Chowdhry
Lead - Policy (Scale Ups), J-PAL South Asia
[email protected]
Parikrama Chowdhry leads multiple scaling interventions that have proven effective through rigorous evaluations. Her work focuses on system-change initiatives across themes of economic inclusion, crime, violence and conflict and education, particularly in South Asia.