Western expert: Why numeracy screening is essential for kids
Western psychologist Daniel Ansari says early math screening matters as much as reading screening, and his lab has built a free online numeracy tool.
After the Ontario Human Rights Commission’s Right to Read report in 2022, the province mandated reading screening for children from senior kindergarten through Grade 2. Daniel Ansari, a Western professor of psychology and education and Canada Research Chair, says math screening is just as important.
He told Western News that children arrive at school with different numeracy skills, and that gaps can widen if early gaps go unnoticed. Screening is not meant to label learning difficulties. It gives teachers quick data to tailor instruction and track progress, and it can help equity.
Ansari says literacy has had far more attention from media, policymakers and funders, though that is changing. Australia, for example, ran a large numeracy screening project.
His Numerical Cognition Laboratory has developed a numeracy screening tool that is free online and is gathering responses to serve as a reference. For parents, he suggests using everyday activities like grocery costs and cooking, staying engaged with schoolwork and keeping math fun.
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