Identifying and Solving Problems: Making Sense of Basic Mathematics through Storytelling in the Preschool Class

Autor/inn/en	Pramling, Niklas; Samuelsson, Ingrid Pramling
Titel	Identifying and Solving Problems: Making Sense of Basic Mathematics through Storytelling in the Preschool Class
Quelle	In: International Journal of Early Childhood, 40 (2008) 1, S.65-79 (15 Seiten)Infoseite zur Zeitschrift PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0020-7187
Schlagwörter	Illustrations; Educational Practices; Foreign Countries; Teaching Methods; Story Telling; Mathematics Instruction; Preschool Children; Mathematical Concepts; Problem Solving; Sweden + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Bildliche Darstellung; Bildungspraxis; Ausland; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Mathematics lessons; Mathematikunterricht; Pre-school age; Preschool age; Child; Children; Pre-school education; Preschool education; Vorschulalter; Kind; Kinder; Vorschulkind; Vorschulkinder; Vorschulerziehung; Vorschule; Problemlösen; Schweden
Abstract	In a general sense, the research interest of this article concerns the preschool class, which is an intermediate form of schooling for six-year-olds in Sweden, between preschool and school and their two traditions of "play" and "learning," respectively. In a more specific sense, the issue of learning one aspect of basic mathematics in this practice is focused on, as a case study. A video-observation of a teacher and children verbally interacting is analysed. The case studied is the use of a story as presenting a mathematical task, where the children are being asked to draw their solutions in the form of an illustration. The empirical question is: What do the children make an issue of, that is, what is the problem as far as the learners are concerned? It is found that (a) the difficulty for the children does not primarily seem to be mathematical but one of co-ordinating one's explanation to a visual illustration (i.e., a matter of representation), and that (b) making concrete the abstract mathematical principle of division may make it difficult for the learners to distinguish between the two senses of the term (i.e., division as a mathematical operation, and as a practical activity, respectively). The use of a story and the instruction to draw the solution to the task appear to have introduced additional difficulties for children in solving the problem. The implications of the findings for educational practice are discussed. (Author).
Anmerkungen	OMEP: Organisation Mondiale pour l'Education Prescolaire. Goteborg University, Department of Education, Box 300, Goteborg, SE-40530, Sweden. Tel: +46-317-732461; Fax: +46-317-732391; Web site: http://www.ped.gu.se/users/pramling/ijec/index.html
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10