About this srcd poster session

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Panel information
Panel 18. School Readiness/Childcare

Abstract

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This study examined relationships between an early math-specific teaching instruction observation instrument and a general observation instrument of best practice instruction within teacher-child interactions. These instruments, the Math Language Analysis Instrument (MLA-I, study developed) and Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS, Pianta, 2007) were used to measure preschool teachers’ early math instruction. The use of CLASS to measure math practice has precedent in the research literature (Pelkowski et al., 2019; Whittaker et al., 2016). As CLASS is a full instrument aimed at measuring all aspects of teacher-child interactions including domains of Emotional Support, Classroom Organization, and Instructional Support, this study was guided by an adapted CLASS instrument developed by Pelkowski et al. (2019), where dimensions across Classroom Organization and Instructional Support were observed. While not directly addressing specific math practices, does measure overall teacher support of concept development that relates to general mathematical concepts. Despite its lack of math-specific items, McGuire et al. (2016) found high correlations between CLASS and a math-specific observation tool, indicating CLASS may measure overall math instructional practices. Researchers proposed CLASS may be a worthwhile instrument in measuring math practice due to its widespread use within Head Start early childhood programs. Cerezci (2021) found similar results in comparing CLASS with an in-development math-specific instrument.
Participants for this study (current data analysis) were 30 preschool teachers enrolled in an early STEM course, with a strong math focus on early math knowledge and practice. An additional 2 cohorts of preschool teachers’ video samples are currently being analyzed, with approximately 90 teachers total that will be included in the completed analysis.
The main research question for this study was:
What relationships exist between the CLASS instrument and the MLA-I?
A study-developed math language analysis instrument (MLA-I) measure math-specific language within instructional interactions. A 20-minute sample including a participant-identified STEM support video segment was analyzed using time-sampling at 1-minute intervals. Each interval was rated low, mid, or high for math language, math connectedness, and math conceptual feedback.
Bivariate correlations revealed significant correlation coefficients between all observed CLASS dimensions and all MLA-I items and the overall score, using data from single timepoint pairs including pre-course and post-course timepoints (Table 1). While previous research has indicated that CLASS may be useful in identifying general best practices that support math instructional interactions (McGuire et al., 2016), CLASS is not a curriculum fidelity instrument and does not directly measure content specific instruction. However, significant correlations between CLASS dimensions and MLA-I did confirm relationships between general and math-specific observation instruments.
Furthermore, while this study evaluated a difference in observable practice across time while participants engaged in an early STEM university course, bivariate correlations examining relationships between CLASS and MLA-I differences across the course did not reveal significant correlations (Table 2). Therefore, while CLASS dimensions and the MLA-I individually demonstrated significant differences across the course, observed differences were not significantly related to each other, identifying the need for a math-specific instrument to be used when examining shifts in early math instruction over time.

Author information

Author	Role
David Banzer, University of Illinois Chicago	Presenting author

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