Mr Barton Maths Podcast #214 Research in Action 31: Early Years Financial Literacy with Iro Xenidou-Dervou
Mar 4, 2026
Iro Xenidou-Dervou, Reader in mathematical cognition and early financial literacy researcher, discusses how young children learn about money. She explains the Arlo's Adventures comic-based assessment and five core components of early financial literacy. The conversation covers tangible money experiences, cash versus digital payments, socioeconomic influences, and practical classroom and home strategies.
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Financial Literacy Is Not Just Maths
- Financial literacy and numeracy are related but distinct constructs, so money understanding isn't just arithmetic.
- Arlo's Adventures (no numbers) correlated with numeracy yet measured conceptual skills like saving, spending and where money comes from.
Use Story Prompts To Assess Young Children
- Use story-based, non-numeric assessments for young children like Arlo's Adventures to probe concepts.
- Arlo is a comic-book alien whose choices prompt one-to-one interviews on money topics without arithmetic.
Teach The Five Core Financial Components
- Build early years financial education around five measurable components to be developmentally appropriate.
- The five components are transaction methods, getting/making money, saving, where money comes from, and spending choices.