The objective of this study was to test the effects of a math talk intervention on the academic performance of preschool children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. First, the study investigated whether children who engaged in math games (social interaction focused on developing number sense) would learn more math and reasoning skills than similar children who did not engage in these games. Second, this study examined whether there would be an additional learning benefit to children who engaged in math games with a focus on talk (guided participation in the use of language and ways of reasoning) to the playing of math games. This research sought to provide early childhood practitioners with specific strategies for improving the early math skills of children in programs serving economically disadvantaged populations. In addition, this research hopes to offer the early childhood research community empirical evidence for the use of math talk in preschool. (author abstract)