earlyMath English Overview

earlyMath English Overview

Each of the subtests is aligned with National Common Core State Standards (CCSS, 2010) and three domains of number sense (Purpura & Lonigan, 2013; National Research Council, 2009):

• Number
• Relations
• Operations

Early numeracy skills measured within the three domains include:

• Naming numerals
• Using the mental number line
• Counting with one-to-one correspondence
• Understanding the relation between numerals and quantities
• Composing and decomposing numbers
• Basic verbal fact fluency, an understanding of place value
• Knowledge of symbols in story problems

earlyMath English Subtests

Subtest	Skill Measured
Numeral Identification NI-K	Recognizing numerals
Numeral Identification NI-1	Recognizing numerals
Subitizing	Immediate recognition of quantities
Match Quantity	Matching a numeral with the quantity it represents
Quantity Discrimination Most	Identifying the largest number in a set
Quantity Discrimination Least	Identifying the smallest number in a set
Number Sequence NS-K	Providing the correct oral sequence of numbers
Number Sentence NS-1	Providing the correct oral sequence of numbers
Composing	Identifying a missing part in a part-part-whole problem
Decomposing DC-K	Identifying a missing part in a part-part-whole problem
Decomposing DC-1	Identifying a missing part in a part-part-whole problem
Counting Objects	Counting with one-to-one correspondence and cardinality
Equal Partitioning	Identifying equal and unequal sets
Verbal Addition	Providing the answer to an addition problem (without paper and pencil)
Verbal Subtraction	Providing the answer to a subtraction problem (without paper and pencil)
Story Problems	Solving verbally presented word problems
Place Value	Identifying the place values and amounts of pictured objects

Subtest Descriptions

Numeral Identification NI

Numeral Identification assesses a student's ability to correctly identify the name of the symbol that represents a number. Numeral Identification is considered to be one of the many aspects of number sense and is typically represented within the counting component of number sense. Number sense counting tasks have been identified as powerful short and long-term predictors of mathematical achievement.

Subitizing

The Subitizing subtest assesses a student's ability to recognize the correct quantity of dots on a sheet of paper when flashed by the presenter for less than 1 second. Subitizing is viewed as a nonserial process rather than a conscious counting procedure. Typically developing children between ages three to five should be able to subitize arrays of three objects.

Match Quantity

Match Quantity assesses a student's ability to correctly identify the symbol/numeral that represents a given quantity. This task differs from Numeral Identification in that students are making a connection between quantity and numeral, instead of the symbol and the name of the numeral.

Quantity Discrimination Most

The Quantity Discrimination-Most assessment assesses a student's ability to select the largest of four visually presented numerals between one and ten. For the 30-second administration, the examiner shows the student four numerals and asks, "Which is the most?" The resulting score is "1" if the student correctly points to or says the correct numeral/number. The final score is prorated from the number of items responded to correctly in 30 seconds to the total correct in 60 seconds.

Quantity Discrimination Least

The Quantity Discrimination-Least assessment assesses a student's ability to select the smallest of four visually presented numerals between one and ten. For the 30-second administration, the examiner shows the student four numerals and asks, "Which is least?" The resulting score is "1" if the student correctly points to or says the correct numeral/number. The final score is prorated from the number of items responded to correctly in 30 seconds to the total correct in 60 seconds.

Number Sequence NS

The Number Sequence test assesses the student's understanding of the mental number line. The test is completely verbal, and no student stimulus materials are used. There are 13 or 14 items separated by the type of question asked.  Types of items include Count Sequence, Number After, Number Before, and Number Between. As the student responds to each item, the examiner marks any errors on his/her score form. The resulting score is the number of items responded to correctly.

Composing

The Composing test assesses the student's ability to put together quantities to demonstrate an understanding of "parts" and a "whole." There are eight items representing composing skills and they are also separated into composing five (5) and ten (10) with the use of five-frames and ten-frames. Students are presented with either frame partially filled with dots, with some open boxes. The examiner says, "How" many more to make five?" or "How" many more to make ten?" As the student responds to each item, the examiner marks any errors on his/her score form. The resulting score is the number of items responded to correctly.

Decomposing DC

The Decomposing test assesses the student's ability to put together and take apart numbers by using "parts" and a "whole." As the student verbalizes the number that represents the missing "part" the examiner marks any errors on his/her copy of the score form. The resulting score is the total number of items responded to correctly.

Counting Objects

The Counting Objects test assesses a student's ability to count a set of dots with one-on-one correspondence, and his/her ability to recognize that the last number counted in a sequence represents the overall quantity.

Equal Partitioning

The Equal Partitioning test assesses the student's ability to recognize if two groups of objects are equal quantities, and his/her ability to equally divide a set of manipulatives. As the student responds to/demonstrates each item, the examiner marks any errors on his/her score form. If the student responds/demonstrates correctly, the student receives a score of one. The resulting score is the number of items responded to correctly.

Verbal Addition

The Verbal Addition test assesses the student's ability and automaticity in responding to basic addition facts. The test is completely verbal, and no student stimulus materials are used. As the student responds to each item, the examiner marks any errors on his/her score form. The resulting score is the number of items responded to correctly.

Verbal Subtraction

The Verbal Subtraction test assesses the student's ability and automaticity in responding to basic subtraction facts. The test is completely verbal, and no student stimulus materials are used. As the student responds to each item, the examiner marks any errors on his/her score form. The resulting score is the number of items responded to correctly.

Story Problems

The Story Problems test assesses the student's ability to correctly identify a number expression that matches a story problem read out loud by the examiner. As the student points to the number expression that represents the story problem, the examiner marks any errors on his/her copy of the score form. The resulting score is the total number of items responded to correctly.

Place Value

The Place Value assessment assesses the student's ability to correctly produce the numeral that corresponds with a set of base-10 blocks, and his/her ability to select the correct grouping of base-10 blocks when presented with a numeral. This test is conducted on an individual or group basis, and the examiner scores the student's work after the test is complete. The resulting score is the total number of items responded to correctly per minute.

earlyMath English - Composite Subtests

GRADE	FALL	WINTER	SPRING
K	Match Quantity	Decomposing DC-K	Decomposing DC-K
K	Number Sequence NS-K	Number Sequence NS-K	Number Sequence NS-K
K	Numeral Identification NI-K	Numeral Identification NI-K	Numeral Identification NI-K
1	Decomposing DC-1	Decomposing DC-1	Decomposing DC-1
1	Number Sequence NS-1	Number Sequence NS-1	Place Value
1	Numeral Identification NI-1	Place Value	Story Problems

Composite Scores for earlyMath English

The best estimate of students' early mathematics skills is the earlyMath English composite score. The composite score is comprised of subtest scores from multiple tests administered during a universal screening period. These composite scores were developed to be optimal predictors of spring broad mathematical achievement in kindergarten and first grade.  Review the Development of earlyReading and earlyMath English Composite Score resource to learn more.

Progress Monitoring with earlyMath English

FastBridge recommends weekly progress monitoring in earlyMath English with one of the subtests that have progress monitoring forms.

earlyMath English Subtests for Available for Progress Monitoring

• Numeral Identification
• Decomposing-1
• Match Quantity
• Quantity Discrimination (Least and Most)
• Place Value 

We strongly recommend monitoring students with certain subtests (see the recommendations in the table below). These recommendations are grounded in research supporting student performance on these subtests and more comprehensive measures of mathematics.

GRADE	MEASURE
K	Numeral Identification NI-K
1	Decomposing DC-1

Subtest Schedule

Below outlines the subtests that appear for each season as well as the order, in which they appear.

Kindergarten

Fall	Winter	Spring
1. Numeral Identification-K	1. Numeral Identification-K	1. Numeral Identification-K
2. Match Quantity	2. Number Sequence - K	2. Number Sequence - K
3. Number Sequence-K	3. Decomposing - K	3. Decomposing - K

Grade 1

Fall	Winter	Spring
1. Numeral Identification - 1	1. Decomposing DC-1	1. Decomposing - 1
2. Decomposing-1	2. Number Sequence - 1	2. Story Problems
3. Number Sequence-1	3. Place Value	3. Place Value