"Written for pre-service and in-service educators of children in grades K-5, this book bridges the gap between research in cognitive development and math education to offer both an accessibly written and practical introduction to the science of elementary math learning. Structured according to children's mathematical development, How Children Learn Math systematically reviews and synthesizes the latest developmental research on mathematical cognition into accessible sections that explain both the scientific evidence available and its practical classroom application. Written by an author team with decades of collective experience in cognitive research on mathematics learning, clinical psychology, and classroom experience working with both teachers and children, this amply illustrated text offers a powerful resource for understanding children's mathematical development, from quantitative intuition to word problems, and helps readers understand and identify math learning difficulties that may emerge in later grades. Aimed at pre-service and in-service teachers and educators with little background in cognitive development, the book distills important findings in cognitive development into clear, accessible language and practical suggestions. The book therefore serves as an ideal text for pre-service early childhood, elementary, and special education teachers, or as a professional development resource for in-service teachers, supervisors and administrators, school psychologists, and other educators. Nancy Krasa is a clinical psychologist and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Psychology at The Ohio State University, USA. She is the author, with Sara Shunkwiler, of Number Sense and Number Nonsense: Understanding the Challenges of Learning Math. Karen Tzanetopoulos is a speech and language therapist, math specialist, lecturer, and owner of Learning to Full Potential, LLC. Colleen Uscianowski is Assistant Professor of Early Childhood and Elementary Education at the University of Cincinnati, USA, and an affiliate member of the Development and Research in Early Math Education network"-- Provided by publisher.

1. Setting the stage: Attention, mental control, memory, and understanding -- Part I. Mathematical headwaters -- 2. Sizing up -- 3. The prelude to counting -- Part II. Spatial skills -- 4. Visual-spatial skills -- 5. Spatial skills, math, SES and sex -- Part III. The tools of numeracy -- 6. Number words and counting -- 7. Fingers -- 8. Arabic digits and base -- 10. Notation -- 9. The number line and linear measurement -- Part IV. Arithmetic -- 10. Whole-number arithmetic -- 11. Rational numbers and operations -- 12. Written story problems -- 13. Early math screening: spotting the red flags and skill gaps.