Building Blocks is a preschool mathematics intervention for children between the ages of 3 and 4 years from a disadvantaged background. It is delivered by preschool teachers to children for 15 minutes daily.
The information above is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
3 to 4 years old
Group
Building Blocks is a preschool mathematics intervention for children between the ages of 3 and 4 years from a disadvantaged background. It is delivered by preschool teachers to children for 15 minutes daily with the aim of improving mathematics ability, including geometric thinking, spatial skills, measurement, and understanding patterns.
TRIAD (Technology-enhanced, Research-based, Instruction, Assessment and professional Development) is a scale-up model that supports the Building Blocks curriculum via professional development for teachers (including a web application that supports teaching based on learning trajectories), classroom materials, and classroom coaching.
The overall intervention is particularly designed for children who live mainly in poverty and are, therefore, at risk of experiencing difficulty in education.
The maths activities are aimed at moving the children through developmental levels to meet learning goals. They are taught through software and print material. Teacher training sessions are focused on the learning trajectories for each mathematical topic.
3 to 4 years
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds at risk of poor educational outcomes
Disclaimer: The information in this section is as offered/supported by the intervention provider.
Science-based assumption
Disadvantaged home environments can reduce children’s school readiness and increase the risk of poor outcomes in mathematics, as well as language and executive functions.
Science-based assumption
High-quality curriculum-based educational experiences increase young children’s mathematics competences.
Science-based assumption
Children from disadvantaged backgrounds are more at risk of poor outcomes in mathematics learning.
Intervention
A high-quality taught curriculum in mathematics takes children through learning trajectories to develop their geometric thinking, spatial skills, measurement, understanding of patterns, and other mathematical concepts.
Short-term
Increased mathematical knowledge.
Medium-term
Increased language and executive function abilities
Increased school readiness.
Long-term
Improved academic achievement.
Children aged 3 to 5 years in preschool, from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Building Blocks and TRIAD is delivered over 30 weeks of daily sessions of 15 minutes’ duration by trained preschool teachers to groups of children.
The practitioner who delivers this intervention is a trained preschool teacher.
The practitioners have two to six days of intervention training. Booster training of practitioners is recommended.
It is recommended that practitioners are supervised for a total of 24 hours per full intervention delivery by one host-agency supervisor with eight hours of intervention training.
Intervention fidelity is maintained through the following processes:
Contact person: Jodi Hammond
Organisation: Schools’ Learning Solutions
Email address: jodi.hammond@mheducation.com
Website: https://www.mheducation.com/prek-12/program/microsites/MKTSP-TMB03M02.html
*Please note that this information may not be up to date. In this case, please visit the listed intervention website for up to date contact details.
Building Blocks’ most rigorous evidence comes from a cluster RCT conducted in the United States consistent with Foundations’ Level 3 evidence strength threshold. It also has two other studies, a cluster RCT and a QED which met the Level 2 evidence strength threshold.
The Level 3 study observed improvements in children’s maths and language abilities.
This intervention can be described as evidence-based: it has evidence from at least one rigorously conducted RCT demonstrating a statistically significant positive impact on at least one child outcome.
Improved maths ability
Post-intervention
Improvement index
Interpretation
Study
Improved language ability
Improvement index
Interpretation
Study
| Identified in search | 15 |
| Studies reviewed | 3 |
| Meeting the L2 threshold | 2 |
| Meeting the L3 threshold | 1 |
| Contributing to the L4 threshold | 0 |
| Ineligible | 12 |
| Study design | Cluster RCT |
| Country | United States |
| Sample characteristics | 1,305 children enrolled in pre-Kindergarten schools |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities |
|
| Population risk factors | The average percentage of free/reduced lunch in participating schools was 85% |
| Timing |
|
| Child outcomes |
|
| Other outcomes | None |
| Study rating | 3 |
| Citations | Study 1a: Clements, D. H., Sarama, J., Spitler, M. E., Lange, A. A. & Wolfe, C. B. (2011) Mathematics learned by young children in an intervention based on learning trajectories: A large-scale cluster randomized trial. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 42 (2), 127–166. Sarama, J., Lange, A., Clements, D. H. & Wolfe, C. B. (2012) The impacts of an early mathematics curriculum on oral language and literacy. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 27 (3), 489–502. |
| Study design | Cluster RCT |
| Country | United States |
| Sample characteristics | 276 children aged 3 to 4 years in 36 preschool classrooms in the US |
| Race, ethnicities, and nationalities |
|
| Population risk factors |
|
| Timing |
|
| Child outcomes | Improved maths ability (researcher-led assessment) |
| Other outcomes | None |
| Study rating | 2 |
| Citations | Clements, D. H. & Sarama, J. (2008) Experimental evaluation of the effects of a research-based preschool mathematics curriculum. American Educational Research Journal. 45 (2), 443–494. |
The following studies were identified for this intervention but did not count towards the intervention’s overall evidence rating. An intervention receives the same rating as its most robust study or studies.
Clements, D. H. & Sarama, J. (2007) Effects of a preschool mathematics curriculum: Summative research on the Building Blocks project. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 38 (2), 136–163. This study was assessed and received a Level 2 rating.
Sarama, J. & Clements, D. H. (2002) Building Blocks for young children’s mathematical development. Journal of Educational Computing Research. 27 (1&2), 93–110.
Sarama, J. & Clements, D. H. (2004) Building Blocks for early childhood mathematics. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 19, 181–189.
Clements, D. H., Sarama, J., Wolfe, C. B. & Spitler, M. E. (2015) Sustainability of a scale-up intervention in early mathematics: Longitudinal evaluation of implementation fidelity. Early Education and Development. 26 (3), 427–449.
Bojorquea, G., Torbeyns, J., Van Hoof, J., Van Nijlen, D. & Verschaffel, L. (2018) Effectiveness of the Building Blocks program for enhancing Ecuadorian kindergartners’ numerical competencies. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 44 (3), 231–241.
Foster, M. E., Anthony, J. L., Clements, D. H. & Sarama, J. (2016) Improving mathematics learning of kindergarten students through computer assisted instruction. Journal for Research in Mathematics Education. 47 (3), 206–232.
Foster, M. E., Anthony, J. L., Clements, D. H., Sarama, J. & Williams, J. J. (2018) Hispanic dual language learning kindergarten students’ response to a numeracy intervention: A randomized control trial. Early Childhood Research Quarterly. 43, 83–95.
Sarama, J., Clements, D. H., Wolfe, C. B. & Spitler, M. E. (2016) Professional development in early mathematics: Effects of an intervention based on learning trajectories on teachers’ practices. Nordic Studies in Mathematics Education. 21 (4), 29–55.
Note on provider involvement: This provider has agreed to Foundations’ terms of reference (or the Early Intervention Foundation's terms of reference), and the assessment has been conducted and published with the full cooperation of the intervention provider.
Rated 1: Set up and delivery is low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of less than £100.
Rated 2: Set up and delivery is medium-low cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £100–£499.
Rated 3: Set up and delivery is medium cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £500–£999.
Rated 4: Set up and delivery is medium-high cost, equivalent to an estimated unit cost of £1,000–£2,000.
Rating 5: Set up and delivery is high cost. Equivalent to an estimated unit cost of more than £2,000.
Set up and delivery cost is not applicable, not available, or has not been calculated.
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Rated 2: Has preliminary evidence of improving a child outcome from a quantitative impact study, but there is not yet evidence of causal impact.
Rated 2+: Meets the level 2 rating and the best available evidence is based on a study which is more rigorous than a level 2 standard but does not meet the level 3 standard.
Rated 3: Has evidence of a short-term positive impact from at least one rigorous study.
Rated 3+: Meets the level 3 rating and has evidence from other studies with a comparison group at level 2 or higher.
Rated 4: Has evidence of a long-term positive impact through at least two rigorous studies.
Rated 4+: Meets the level 4 rating and has at least a third study contributing to the Level 4 rating, with at least one of the studies conducted independently of the intervention provider.
Rating has a *: The evidence base includes mixed findings i.e., studies suggesting positive impact alongside studies, which on balance, indicate no effect or negative impact.
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