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Math PK-2

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Math PK-2 > Factors > Home Learning Environment

Home Learning Environment

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How Home Learning Environment connects to...

A student's Home Learning Environment is the environment parents and caregivers provide to help learners gain early academic skills. Children can develop math skills before starting school through both direct math teaching and talk with caregivers, as well as indirectly through playing math-related games. This early exposure to language and numeracy can lead to greater arithmetic fluency and success in school and generally promotes cognitive processing. Providing extra classroom supports and resources for families that strengthen the Home Learning Environment can help create an equal foundation for all students.

Main Ideas

The Home Learning Environment is critical for growth in early math skills before a child enters kindergarten. The Home Learning Environment involves many aspects of math:

  • The availability of reading and math materials in the home;
  • Time that parents and caregivers spend talking about math and numbers with their children;
  • The instruction and support parents and caregivers provide when their children are learning math facts;
  • Mathematical skills of parents and caregivers; and
  • The value parents and caregivers place on math, such as their past positive math experiences.

The Home Learning Environment is closely related to the Home Literacy Environment, as the quality of reading materials and discussion also impacts early attitudes towards learning and math acquisition. More broadly, exposure to cognitively stimulating home environments which allow children to engage in learning within their homes supports students' cognitive growth and may mitigate the risk of ADHD.

Learn More

  • Family Engagement: Topic that includes research on how schools can improve their family engagement on Digital Promise's Research Map

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