Count On Arizona Focused on Early Numeracy and Early Literacy

Partners in Read On Arizona have launched a new initiative focused on the connection between early numeracy and early literacy skills.

Count On Arizona is a statewide collaboration to identify and implement effective, complementary strategies to improve student outcomes in both math and reading.

“Early numeracy is a strong predictor of future reading success,” said Lori Masseur, director of early learning for Read On Arizona. “Many of the same cognitive abilities are involved in both math and reading, and they build on each other. Count On Arizona will focus on integrating evidence-based approaches to help children develop early math skills with ongoing strategies to improve early literacy.”

Research shows that early math knowledge contributes to language and reading development, supports students' ability to reason, analyze and interpret information, and connects with literacy and cognitive growth.

Count On Arizona is a partnership between Read On Arizona, Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation, the Arizona Math Collaborative – Arizona Association of Teachers of Mathematics, Arizona Mathematics Leaders, and the Arizona Department of Education – and Read On Phoenix.

Its initial project is an early numeracy community of practice, launched in collaboration with ADE and ASU.

"The Count On Arizona Community of Practice aims to build the capacity of teachers to integrate data literacy and quantitative reasoning into the PreK-5 classroom in meaningful ways," said Janice Mak, assistant director and clinical assistant professor at ASU's Mary Lou Fulton College for Teaching and Learning Innovation.

Count On Arizona will also develop resources to share evidence-based practices with educators across our state, following the model of Read On Arizona’s LitHubAZ.

Developed in partnership with the Arizona Department of Education and the Arizona State Board of Education, LitHubAZ is a free online resource for educators, administrators, community partners, and families to find effective, developmentally-appropriate ways to help students learn to read at grade level and be successful in school.