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Investigating young students’ multiplicative thinking : The 12 little ducks problem
Cheeseman, Jill Downton, Ann Roche, Anne Ferguson, Sarah
Cheeseman, Jill
Downton, Ann
Roche, Anne
Ferguson, Sarah
Abstract
Children’s multiplicative thinking as the visualization of equal group structures and the enumeration the composite units was the subject of this study. The results were obtained from a small sample of Australian children (n = 18) in their first year of school (mean age 5 years 6 months) who participated in a lesson taught by their classroom teacher. The 12 Little Ducks problem stimulated children to visualize and to draw different ways of making equal groups. Fifteen children (83 %) could identify and create equal groups; eight of these children (44 %) could also quantify the number of groups they formed. These findings show that some young children understand early multiplicative ideas and can visualize equal group situations and communicate about these through their drawings and talk. The study emphasises the value of encouraging mathematical visualization from an early age; using open thought-provoking problems to reveal children’s thinking; and promoting drawing as a form of mathematical communication.
Keywords
visualization, multiplicative reasoning, children’s drawings, early mathematics, problem solving
Date
2020
Type
Journal article
Journal
The Journal of Mathematical Behavior
Book
Volume
60
Issue
Page Range
1-16
Article Number
Article 100817
ACU Department
School of Education
Faculty of Education and Arts
Faculty of Education and Arts
Collections
Relation URI
Source URL
Event URL
Open Access Status
License
All rights reserved
File Access
Controlled