Beyond High Fidelity: Refining Preparation, Differentiation, and Checklist Usability for the the New Numeracy Curriculum (2026)
This study examined teachers’ implementation of a new numeracy curriculum across N2, K1 and K2 classrooms, focusing on implementation fidelity, perceived difficulty, and the usefulness and ease of an accompanying tracking checklist.
Teachers completed a structured implementation survey using four-point rating scales. Overall implementation fidelity was high, while lesson implementation difficulty was moderate. The main challenges involved preparing materials, balancing discussion with hands-on activities, and responding to differing learning needs. When fidelity and difficulty were considered jointly, 51% of teachers demonstrated high fidelity with lower implementation difficulty, while 49% maintained high fidelity despite experiencing greater implementation burden. The tracking checklist was perceived as useful, although ease of use was more mixed. Overall, the findings indicate that the prototype was implemented with high fidelity, but successful implementation was accompanied by considerable effort for some teachers. Refinement should therefore focus on reducing preparation and delivery demands and improving checklist usability to support sustainable classroom implementation.
