Original Research

Early numeracy performance of South African school beginners

Pirjo Aunio, Riikka Mononen, Lara Ragpot, Minna Törmänen
South African Journal of Childhood Education | Vol 6, No 1 | a496 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/sajce.v6i1.496 | © 2016 Pirjo Aunio, Riikka Mononen, Lara Ragpot, Minna Törmänen | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 08 September 2016 | Published: 15 December 2016

About the author(s)

Pirjo Aunio, Department of Teacher Education, University of Helsinki, Finland and Department of Childhood Education, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Riikka Mononen, Department of Childhood Education, University of Johannesburg. South Africa and Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Norway
Lara Ragpot, Department of Childhood Education, University of Johannesburg, South Africa
Minna Törmänen, Department of Behavioural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland

Abstract

Early numeracy skills are highly relevant for children’s mathematics learning at school, especially in the initial years when much mathematics learning relies on early numeracy competence. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of early numeracy skills in a sample of South African children in the first months of formal schooling. In this cross- sectional study, there were 443 first graders (206 girls and 237 boys) from Gauteng Province schools. The mean age of the children was 81.61 months (6 years 10 months) (SD 5.40 months). Their early numeracy skills were measured with the ThinkMath Scale. The main finding of this study was that there were statistically significant differences in early numeracy skills between the children when they started first grade. The differences were related to the home language of the first graders in the English medium schools, as well as the type of school (public vs. private). This article concludes that the numeracy competence of the children from the sample was notably varied in the beginning of their formal schooling, which has implications for teaching in the vastly different classroom populations that are all served by one national curriculum.

Keywords

assessment; early numeracy; language of instruction; low performance; mathematical learning difficulties

Metrics

Total abstract views: 6747
Total article views: 9875

 

Crossref Citations

1. The Effect of a Physically Active Academic Intervention on the Physical Fitness and Mathematical Performance of Grade 1 Learners in Cape Town, South Africa
Carynne Alison Fisher, Eileen Africa
Early Childhood Education Journal  vol: 53  issue: 2  first page: 507  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1007/s10643-023-01610-8

2. South African COVID-19 school closures: Impact on children and families
Sadiyya Haffejee, Thandi M. Simelane, Anita Mwanda
South African Journal of Childhood Education  vol: 14  issue: 1  year: 2024  
doi: 10.4102/sajce.v14i1.1415

3. An early numeracy intervention for first-graders at risk for mathematical learning difficulties
Pirjo Aunio, Johan Korhonen, Lara Ragpot, Minna Törmänen, Elizabeth Henning
Early Childhood Research Quarterly  vol: 55  first page: 252  year: 2021  
doi: 10.1016/j.ecresq.2020.12.002

4. A 20-year review of South African Early Grade Mathematics Research Articles
Samantha Morrison, Mellony Graven, Hamsa Venkat, Pamela Vale
African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education  vol: 27  issue: 3  first page: 304  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1080/18117295.2023.2226547

5. Empowering 21st Century Skills: The Impact of Independent Curriculum Modules on Elementary Students
Febrina Dafit, Latif, Siti Quratul Ain
Jurnal Ilmiah Sekolah Dasar  vol: 8  issue: 3  first page: 558  year: 2025  
doi: 10.23887/jisd.v8i3.78156

6. Exploring Conceptions of ‘Number Sense’ Evident in Pre-service Programmes for Primary School Teachers: A Review of Texts Used Across 11 University Programmes
Lise Westaway, Lyn Webb, Maria Weitz, Hanlie Botha
African Journal of Research in Mathematics, Science and Technology Education  vol: 27  issue: 3  first page: 290  year: 2023  
doi: 10.1080/18117295.2023.2226545

7. Differences and Associations in Symbolic and Non-Symbolic Early Numeracy Competencies of Chilean Kinder Grade Children, considering Socioeconomic Status of Schools
Felipe Sepúlveda, Cristina Rodríguez, Christian Peake
Early Education and Development  vol: 31  issue: 1  first page: 137  year: 2020  
doi: 10.1080/10409289.2019.1609819

8. Factors Influencing Rural Foundation Phase Learners’ Underperformance in Reading and Mathematics in Primary Schools in South Africa: Teacher Perspectives
Julie Shantone Rubbi Nunan
Curriculum and Teaching  vol: 37  issue: 2  first page: 73  year: 2022  
doi: 10.7459/ct/37.2.06

9. The impact of child flourishing on school readiness: a structural equation modeling approach
Nema Kebbeh, Elizabeth Jelsma
Cogent Education  vol: 12  issue: 1  year: 2025  
doi: 10.1080/2331186X.2025.2511445

10. “We don’t have things for counting”: An exploration of early numeracy skills and home learning experiences of children growing up in poverty in South Africa
Rebecca Merkley, Elizabeth Sernoskie, Caylee J. Cook, Steven J. Howard, Hleliwe Makaula, Mbulelo Mshudulu, Nosibusiso Tshetu, Catherine E. Draper, Gaia Scerif
Journal of Numerical Cognition  vol: 9  issue: 2  first page: 268  year: 2023  
doi: 10.5964/jnc.8061