A child’s early years (4–8 years of age) lay the foundation for learning the language of mathematics. Children in the early years have the opportunity to access mathematical ideas by developing a sense of number, order, pattern and sequence; attributes of objects and collections; an awareness of the presentation, collection and variation of data; understandings of quantities and what they represent; movement, position and direction; and a capacity to make predictions about chance events (MacMillian, 2009). Developing these understandings and experiencing them in the early years provides a foundation for statistical, algebraic and multiplicative thinking that will develop in later years when children become numerate (Connor, 2011a). These aspects of early mathematics build the foundations with which children can identify simple strategies to investigate solutions, pose basic mathematical questions about their world, and strengthen their reasoning to solve personally meaningful problems (ACARA, 2009).
Educators will also need to consult the Early Years learning framework [EYLF] (COAG, 2009) and the Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2009). The Australian Curriculum builds on the EYLF respecting the nature of learners at particular stages in their learning lives, recognising that there is a set of foundational dispositions, skills and knowledge that underpin future learning success (MacMillian, 2009; ACARA, 2009). Both curriculums acknowledge the diversity of starting points that learners bring to next-stage learning, allowing teachers to connect their pedagogical practices in the first years of school to those used in prior-to-school contexts (Connor, 2011b; MacMillian, 2009). “Educators require a rich mathematical vocabulary to accurately describe and explain children’s mathematical ideas and to support numeracy development” (COAG, 2009, p. 38).
The Australian Curriculum for students between five and eight years of age (typically Foundation to Year 2) gives priority to numeracy development because these are the foundations on which further learning is built. The foundation for numeracy is primarily in mathematics. However, numeracy must be reinforced and strengthened through learning in other contexts including science, history, geography and technologies (ACARA, 2010). The EYLF supports children’s numeracy in Learning Outcome 4.2: Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating. The Educator’s Guide to the EYLF (COAG, 2010) states that educators promote this learning by:
Educators will also need to consult the Early Years learning framework [EYLF] (COAG, 2009) and the Australian Curriculum (ACARA, 2009). The Australian Curriculum builds on the EYLF respecting the nature of learners at particular stages in their learning lives, recognising that there is a set of foundational dispositions, skills and knowledge that underpin future learning success (MacMillian, 2009; ACARA, 2009). Both curriculums acknowledge the diversity of starting points that learners bring to next-stage learning, allowing teachers to connect their pedagogical practices in the first years of school to those used in prior-to-school contexts (Connor, 2011b; MacMillian, 2009). “Educators require a rich mathematical vocabulary to accurately describe and explain children’s mathematical ideas and to support numeracy development” (COAG, 2009, p. 38).
The Australian Curriculum for students between five and eight years of age (typically Foundation to Year 2) gives priority to numeracy development because these are the foundations on which further learning is built. The foundation for numeracy is primarily in mathematics. However, numeracy must be reinforced and strengthened through learning in other contexts including science, history, geography and technologies (ACARA, 2010). The EYLF supports children’s numeracy in Learning Outcome 4.2: Children develop a range of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating. The Educator’s Guide to the EYLF (COAG, 2010) states that educators promote this learning by:
- planning learning environments with appropriate levels of challenge where children are encouraged to explore, experiment and take appropriate risks in their learning.
- recognising mathematical understandings that children bring to learning and build on these in ways that are relevant to each child.
- providing experiences that encourage children to investigate and solve problems.
- encouraging children to use language to describe and explain their ideas.
- providing opportunities for involvement in experiences that support the investigation of ideas, complex concepts and thinking, reasoning and hypothesising.
- encouraging children to make their ideas and theories visible to others.
- modelling mathematical and scientific language and language associated with the arts.
- joining in children’s play and modelling reasoning, predicting and reflecting processes and language.
- intentionally scaffolding children’s understandings.
- listening carefully to children’s attempts to hypothesize and expand on their thinking through conversation and questioning.
The following photos are activities that I have implemented at my service to support and extend numeracy in the early years:
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Early Childhood Australia (2013). Counting flowers. Retrieved 25/8/16, from https://youtu.be/G7m5WGJJO8o
References:
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2010). The Shape of the Australian Curriculum. Sydney, NSW: ACARA Copyright Administration.
Connor, J. (2011a). Being Numerate. EYLF PLP e-Newsletter No.22. Retrieved May 22, 2016, from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EYLFPLP_E-Newsletter_No22.pdf
Connor, J. (2011b). Foundations for learning: Relationships between the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum. Canberra: ACARA.
Council of Australian Governments [COAG]. (2009). Belonging, being & becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workforce.
Council of Australian Governments [COAG]. (2010). Educators Belonging, being & becoming: Educators’ Guide to The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (Educator’s Guide). Canberra: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workforce.
Department of Education (2016). First Steps in Mathematics. Retrieved 8/9/16, from http://det.wa.edu.au/stepsresources/detcms/navigation/first-steps-mathematics/
MacMillian, A. (2009). Numeracy in early childhood: Shared contexts for teaching and learning. London: Oxford.
Clips/links:
Early Childhood Australia (2013). Counting flowers. Retrieved 25/8/16, from https://youtu.be/G7m5WGJJO8o
Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). (2010). The Shape of the Australian Curriculum. Sydney, NSW: ACARA Copyright Administration.
Connor, J. (2011a). Being Numerate. EYLF PLP e-Newsletter No.22. Retrieved May 22, 2016, from http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/nqsplp/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/EYLFPLP_E-Newsletter_No22.pdf
Connor, J. (2011b). Foundations for learning: Relationships between the Early Years Learning Framework and the Australian Curriculum. Canberra: ACARA.
Council of Australian Governments [COAG]. (2009). Belonging, being & becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia. Canberra: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workforce.
Council of Australian Governments [COAG]. (2010). Educators Belonging, being & becoming: Educators’ Guide to The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (Educator’s Guide). Canberra: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workforce.
Department of Education (2016). First Steps in Mathematics. Retrieved 8/9/16, from http://det.wa.edu.au/stepsresources/detcms/navigation/first-steps-mathematics/
MacMillian, A. (2009). Numeracy in early childhood: Shared contexts for teaching and learning. London: Oxford.
Clips/links:
Early Childhood Australia (2013). Counting flowers. Retrieved 25/8/16, from https://youtu.be/G7m5WGJJO8o