Exploring Visual-Based Approaches in Early Literacy and Numeracy Learning: Insights from Kindergarten Classroom Practices
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64268/jsee.v1i2.92Keywords:
Early Childhood Education, Early Literacy, Early Numeracy, Flashcards, Visual LearningAbstract
Background: Early literacy and numeracy are key foundations for children’s readiness for primary education. Visual supports can help young learners connect symbols with meaning through concrete, engaging experiences.
Aims: This study examines how visual-based approaches are applied in teaching early literacy and numeracy and describes how children and teachers respond during classroom activities.
Methods: The study used a descriptive qualitative design. Data were gathered through participatory classroom observation during teaching practice, complemented by documentation and informal interviews with the class teacher. Analysis followed data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing to identify recurring patterns in learning stages, responses, and implementation constraints.
Result: The use of flashcards and real objects fostered active participation and helped children recognize letters, syllables, and numbers more smoothly. Children appeared more attentive, willing to respond, and increasingly confident when learning tasks were linked to familiar images and objects. Teachers noted that visual cues supported classroom focus and clarified instruction, particularly for children who initially struggled with symbol recognition. The activities also provided opportunities for fine-motor practice and verbal interaction. Challenges included varied learning pace across children, limited time for repetition, and the need for stronger classroom management when adult assistance was insufficient.
Conclusion: Visual-based practices can enrich early literacy and numeracy learning by making core concepts easier to grasp and more motivating. Outcomes are likely to improve when teachers diversify media, use small-group routines, and extend practice through home support.
References
Alatalo, T., & Westlund, B. (2021). Preschool teachers’ perceptions about read-alouds as a means to support children’s early literacy and language development. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 21(3), 413–435. https://doi.org/10.1177/1468798419852136
Allouch, M., Azaria, A., & Azoulay, R. (2021). Conversational Agents: Goals, Technologies, Vision and Challenges. Sensors, 21(24), 8448. https://doi.org/10.3390/s21248448
Baxter, M. L. (2026). Systematic Review and Analysis of Measures of Oral Health Literacy. Journal of Dental Education, 90(1), 51–64. https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13895
Bonite, I. A., Calo, J. P. B., Cuevas, V. B., & Cultura, J. F. (2026). Classroom Store Simulation Challenge: An Innovative Pedagogical Strategy to Enhance Primary Learners’ Math Problem-Solving Skills in the Philippines. In Lecture Notes in Educational Technology: Part F1214 (pp. 129–138). Springer Science and Business Media Deutschland GmbH. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-95-0872-3_11
Cai, J., & Hwang, S. (2021). Teachers as redesigners of curriculum to teach mathematics through problem posing: Conceptualization and initial findings of a problem‑posing project. ZDM – Mathematics Education, 53(6), 1403–1416. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11858-021-01252-3
Campbell, S. (2021). Phonics and play-literacy: Parental expectations of an early childhood literacy program. The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 44(3), 60–73. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03652081
Condello, G., Mazzoli, E., Masci, I., De Fano, A., Ben-Soussan, T. D., Marchetti, R., & Pesce, C. (2021). Fostering Holistic Development with a Designed Multisport Intervention in Physical Education: A Class-Randomized Cross-Over Trial. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18(18), 9871. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18189871
DePascale, M., Prather, R., & Ramani, G. B. (2021). Parent and child spontaneous focus on number, mathematical abilities, and mathematical talk during play activities. Cognitive Development, 59, 101076. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cogdev.2021.101076
Ferri, G. M., Frank, A., Li, D., Anand, P., Abdallah, M., Avalone, V., Mark Sloan, J., Sanchorawala, V., Lerner, A., Szalat, R. E., Petrocca, F., Edwards, C. V., & Bell, B. N. (2026). When ICAN(S) Becomes ICAN’T: Clinician and Staff Perspectives on In-Hospital Neurotoxicity Grading. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma and Leukemia, 26(1), e77–e82. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clml.2025.08.021
Finders, J. K., Budrevich, A., Duncan, R. J., Purpura, D. J., Elicker, J., & Schmitt, S. A. (2021). Variability in Preschool CLASS Scores and Children’s School Readiness. AERA Open, 7, 23328584211038938. https://doi.org/10.1177/23328584211038938
Fyfe, E. R., Borriello, G. A., & Merrick, M. (2023). A developmental perspective on feedback: How corrective feedback influences children’s literacy, mathematics, and problem solving. Educational Psychologist, 58(3), 130–145. https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2022.2108426
Geng, Z., Huang, R., Zeng, B., & Huang, J. (2026). Exploring the associations among Chinese kindergartners between social-emotional development and behavioral and academic adjustment. European Journal of Psychology of Education, 41(1). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10212-025-01062-1
Han, F. (2023). Level of consistency between students’ self-reported and observed study approaches in flipped classroom courses: How does it influence students’ academic learning outcomes? PLOS ONE, 18(6), e0286549. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0286549
Harris, P. L. (2021). Early Constraints on the Imagination: The Realism of Young Children. Child Development, 92(2), 466–483. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.13487
Heleta, S., & Bagus, T. (2021). Sustainable development goals and higher education: Leaving many behind. Higher Education, 81(1), 163–177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10734-020-00573-8
Jayanthi, M., Gersten, R., Schumacher, R. F., Dimino, J., Smolkowski, K., & Spallone, S. (2021). Improving Struggling Fifth-Grade Students’ Understanding of Fractions: A Randomized Controlled Trial of an Intervention That Stresses Both Concepts and Procedures. Exceptional Children, 88(1), 81–100. https://doi.org/10.1177/00144029211008851
Laksana, D. N. L., Qondias, D., Lawe, Y. U., & Wahyu, Y. (2026). Designing an ethnolinguistic-based instructional model to improve early grade literacy and numeracy in indigenous ethnic learners. Multidisciplinary Science Journal, 8(5). https://doi.org/10.31893/multiscience.2026299
Leavy, A., Dick, L., Meletiou-Mavrotheris, M., Paparistodemou, E., & Stylianou, E. (2023). The prevalence and use of emerging technologies in STEAM education: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 39(4), 1061–1082. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12806
Levin, O., & Flavian, H. (2022). Simulation-based learning in the context of peer learning from the perspective of preservice teachers: A case study. European Journal of Teacher Education, 45(3), 373–394. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619768.2020.1827391
López-Íñiguez, G., & Burnard, P. (2022). Toward a nuanced understanding of musicians’ professional learning pathways: What does critical reflection contribute? Research Studies in Music Education, 44(1), 127–157. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103X211025850
Mpolomoka, D. L. (2025). Classroom experiences of learners with visual impairments in selected schools in Zambia. British Journal of Visual Impairment, 02646196251352361. https://doi.org/10.1177/02646196251352361
Novak, M., & Schwan, S. (2021). Does Touching Real Objects Affect Learning? Educational Psychology Review, 33(2), 637–665. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09551-z
Purba, N., Wondal, R., Yuliantina, I., Sagala, A. C. D., Budiarti, E., Susanti, D., & Herman, H. (2026). Bringing Numbers to Life through Numeracy Literacy: Practical Use of E-Comic Media in Early Education. Studies in Media and Communication, 14(1), 15–25. https://doi.org/10.11114/smc.v14i1.7933
Raave, D. K., Colasante, T., Roa, E. R., Martinez, J. C. R., Li, H., Mukherjee, S., & Malti, T. (2026). An experimental study exploring human–AI complementarity in early social-emotional learning. Computers and Education Open, 10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.caeo.2026.100331
Salmon-Letelier, M., Sarr, K. G., Trembley, A., Heaner, G., Mull, A. C., Di Filippantonio, G., Pearson, I., & Arp, J. (2026). Building integrated learning opportunities for marginalized adolescent girls in Sierra Leone: Impact of the EAGER project on literacy and numeracy learning and personal competencies. International Journal of Educational Development, 121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijedudev.2025.103484
Schraw, G., & Richmond, A. S. (2022). Using Visual Displays to Improve Classroom Thinking. Educational Research: Theory and Practice, 33(2), 80–102.
Spinelli, M., Lionetti, F., Setti, A., & Fasolo, M. (2021). Parenting Stress During the COVID-19 Outbreak: Socioeconomic and Environmental Risk Factors and Implications for Children Emotion Regulation. Family Process, 60(2), 639–653. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12601
Stylianou, P., & Zembylas, M. (2021). Engaging with issues of death, loss, and grief in elementary school: Teachers’ perceptions and affective experiences of an in-service training program on death education in Cyprus. Theory & Research in Social Education, 49(1), 54–77. https://doi.org/10.1080/00933104.2020.1841700
Suprihatiningrum, J., Ristiyanti, S., Maulidina, F., & Wulayalin, K. A. (2025). Science Teachers’ Experiences to Ensure Science for All Movement: From Theory to Practice. Science Education International, 36(3), 259–267.
Vaisarova, J., & Reynolds, A. J. (2022). Is more child-initiated always better? Exploring relations between child-initiated instruction and preschoolers’ school readiness. Educational Assessment, Evaluation and Accountability, 34(2), 195–226. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11092-021-09376-6
Yang, W., Lin, C., Wang, X. C., Bautista, A., Li, H., Datu, J. A. D., & Hu, B. Y. (2026). Beyond Coding: Effects of a Computing Curriculum on Preschoolers’ Computational Thinking, Math, Language, and Social-Emotional Skills. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 64(1), 126–154. https://doi.org/10.1177/07356331251384546
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Ertati, Ayu Mayang Sari, Eka Selpi Oktariani

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.