Picture Books Boost Math Learning
Can reading picture books really support mathematical learning? Zhang and colleagues from the University of Hong Kong compiled studies from 16 recent classroom research conducted over the last twenty years in 2023 and investigated the benefits of integrating picture books into mathematics lessons for students.
The systematic literature review revealed that mathematics picture books improved student engagement and attitudes towards mathematics. From preschool to middle school, picture books were found to increase student participation; similarly, these books can enhance performance on various tasks, from counting to 20 to calculating diameters. Picture books also helped students understand mathematical representations, such as graphs or physical models. Additionally, it was observed that these books improved student performance on various tasks from counting to 20, understanding place values, and calculating diameters.
Mathematics picture books have been found to lead to significant gains especially in early childhood, where children often try to predict what will happen next, increasing their interest in the problems and in finding solutions. Teachers are another group that benefits from using picture books while teaching mathematics.
Teachers used picture books to frame their math units, particularly to introduce a new concept or to summarize what was just learned. The research examining the use of picture books in mathematics teaching showed that significant factors hindering their use included a lack of pedagogical knowledge and confidence, time and resource constraints, and doubts about the expected outcomes. On the contrary, factors that enhanced the use of picture books by teachers included the early stage of education (especially the preschool level), perceived pedagogical benefits, a desire to improve teaching, and the activation of social norms.