The Efficacy of Teaching Advanced Forms of Patterning to Kindergartners

This project tested the effects of adding instruction of trios of children in patterning, mathematics, early literacy, or social studies to ongoing instruction in kindergartens. Children were randomly assigned to trios which were randomly assigned to one of four kinds of instruction. A quarter of the trios received patterning instruction with a mixture of repeating and growing patterns. Another quarter of the trios were taught number recognition, number order, counting, comparing quantities and related early mathematics. Another quarter were taught letter recognition and sounds, simple words, and other subject matter in early literacy. The remaining quarter of the trios were taught social studies, including recognition of important figures in history and important city and federal services. The children taught patterning outscored the others on a test of patterning, but there were no other significant differences. Implications for patterning instruction as a support for early mathematics or literacy were discussed.