The SPAtial Cognition to Enhance Mathematical Learning (SPACE) programme is a whole-class structured approach using LEGO® which aims to improve 6 to 7‑year-old (Year 2) pupils’ spatial thinking and mathematics outcomes. For teaching staff, the intention is to improve their confidence, understanding and perceived importance of spatial reasoning, and increase their use of spatial language prompts with pupils. For pupils, the intention is to increase their exposure to spatial language and develop their spatial thinking skills through building LEGO models. The overall goal is an improvement in pupils’ spatial language, spatial reasoning, and mathematics skills.
Training for teaching staff consists of a half-day in-person training session. There is also delivery support and monitoring throughout the programme including three 30-minute support sessions and online and email support. SPACE is delivered during mathematics lessons by teachers and teaching assistants (TAs) in two 30-minute sessions per week for six weeks (12 sessions in total). Each session has a theme that the LEGO® models relate to, and delivery resources include an introductory video and prompt cards for teachers. Each pupil is given a box of LEGO bricks and a model booklet which contains a series of exploded diagrams of LEGO models (showing the component pieces separated and indicating how they fit together) which they then build.
As part of the Department for Education’s Accelerator Fund, the EEF has commissioned a number of trials of programmes that show promise for increasing pupil attainment. The EEF’s Early Years and KS1 Mathematics Teaching: Evidence Review (2020) indicates that physical manipulativesobjects that educators and children can move and interact with to represent mathematical ideas (including fingers, everyday objects, such as buttons or pine cones, and mathematical resources such as Numicon, Cuisenaire rods). and representations are a powerful way of enabling young children to engage with mathematical ideas. Research evidence suggests there is a relationship between children’s spatial abilities (e.g., spatial thinking and spatial language) and their mathematics outcomes, with the potential for spatial training to increase children’s attainment in mathematics. This pilot study sought to learn if the SPACE programme, delivered to Year 2 pupils, was acceptable and feasible, showed evidence of promise, and was ready to scale. 15 Year 2 classes from 15 primary schools took part – a total of 415 pupils.
The SPACE programme was well-received by teaching staff, who found it was easy and enjoyable to deliver, and felt there was sufficient training, resources and support provided. Teachers and TAs reported that pupils engaged well with the programme, including those from disadvantaged backgrounds, maintaining focus and motivation throughout the sessions. However, concerns were expressed by some school staff that SPACE took time away from their usual mathematics teaching. Whilst they saw value in learning using physical manipulativesobjects that educators and children can move and interact with to represent mathematical ideas (including fingers, everyday objects, such as buttons or pine cones, and mathematical resources such as Numicon, Cuisenaire rods)., teachers were not always sure how the programme linked with the wider mathematics curriculum.
Overall, teaching staff reported that the SPACE programme had improved their confidence and understanding of teaching spatial reasoning and use of spatial language. They perceived positive improvements in pupils’ spatial language and spatial skills, which applied to pupils from all backgrounds. There were mixed views from teaching staff on whether the programme would lead to improved mathematics attainment.
In addition to these findings, teachers reported positive benefits in terms of pupils’ fine motor skills, resilience, perseverance and confidence.
Future work may include further adaptation and development of the programme to be suitable for scaled-up delivery and evaluation.