Preschool children’s learning opportunities using natural numbers in number row activities

The study investigates kindergarten teachers' approaches to a mathematical activity and how their different teaching methods affected children's learning opportunities during this activity. The research questions are: 1) What differences are visible in two kindergarten teachers' execution of the same mathematical activity for a group of kindergarten children? 2) How do these differences affect the variation of learning opportunities for the children?

The study shows how the kindergarten teachers' different ways of carrying out the same mathematical activity gave the children different learning opportunities. In one group, the children only learned about certain forms of the numbers (what quantities they represented). In the second group, the activity focused on several forms of numbers simultaneously (quantity, order, and similarity of numbers). The results suggest that the activity with limited variation was most appropriate when the children little previous understanding of numeracy, while the children with a more developed understanding of numeracy needed a more varied approach.

The researchers observed two kindergarten teachers who performed the same mathematical activity (Find the treasure), the aim of which was to teach the children numeracy, each in their own way for two groups of kindergarten children. The sample consisted of 28 children between three and five years old and five kindergarten teachers in two Swedish kindergartens. The data material was collected using video observation and then transcribed afterwards. The analysis focused on the execution of the learning situation based on Chi's taxonomy and variation theory.

Alkhede, M. & Holmqvist, M. (2021). “Preschool children’s learning opportunities using natural numbers in number row activities”. Early Childhood Education Journal, 49:1199-1213.