Australian families' perceptions of access to capitals to support early mathematical learning

The chapter reports on how some Australian parents perceive their families’ access to resources (in the form of capitals) and the importance of early learning in preparation for the transition to formal schooling, with a particular focus on mathematics learning. The families all participated in the Australian Research Council–funded research Numeracy@Home and came from metropolitan and regional sites in Victoria, Australia. The families responded to the Family Educational and Learning Questionnaire (FELQ). The questionnaire surveyed parental perceptions of children’s access to education and learning resources. The questionnaire also canvassed parents’ views about the mathematical concepts that were essential for children to learn before they began school (at five years) and who should be responsible for guiding this learning. The following section provides the theoretical model for understanding families’ views about children’s access to resources and their preparedness for formal schooling.