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Recently, a renewed interest in math education has emerged. However, in the early years it has not yet received the full attention it deserves. One missing piece was the availability of assessment tools suitable for young children. They are important because understanding the knowledge, skills, and error patterns of learners is crucial for effective instruction.
The goal of this research project was to develop two assessment instruments suitable for preschoolers: 1) a quick and easily administered math screen that provides summative information about the level of mathematical understanding in students and that identifies accurately students at-risk for failure and 2) a math test that allows teachers or other professionals to follow-up on students where more detailed information is desirable. The instruments were developed in close collaboration with educators. The final versions (available in English and French) cover the content known from research and curriculum documents as relevant for early math development. Overall, the two new assessment instruments (MAS JK Screen© and MAS JK Test©) have proven to be sound and useful tools.
The psychometric analyses revealed very satisfying properties of the instruments. In line with current research, the students showed quite remarkable knowledge of and skills in mathematics (e.g., counting, cardinality, and simple arithmetic). However, the knowledge was also often fragmented and marked by significant intra-individual differences. One of the most important insights from this project is that assessing math knowledge in young children within an educational context is feasible, produces results that make sense, and is usable for instructional purposes.