PhD in Psychology

Supporting Children’s Early Arithmetic by Teaching the Relational Meaning of "=" /n Many children experience difficulties with mathematics that can persist into secondary school and adulthood. These difficulties often stem from fragile foundations formed in the early years of schooling, where key concepts are introduced but not always fully understood. One such concept is mathematical equivalence—understanding that the equals sign ("=") means that two quantities have the same value, rather than simply signalling where an answer should appear. /n This project aims to strengthen early arithmetic learning by focusing on equivalence as a core building block of mathematical understanding. The study will work with young pupils in Northern Ireland and compare an equivalence-focused intervention with an active control condition. Location: Belfast - Northern Ireland. Provider: School of Psychology, Queens University of Belfast.