March 2006

Our focus this month is to gather comments regarding the Early Learning Foundation Stage – the proposed single framework from birth to the end of the Foundation Stage – see the Direction of Travel document

We have been invited to attend a seminar in London at the end of the month as part of the consultation process, so please let us have any views you have about E.Y. mathematical graphics or related aspects.

Meanwhile, we are working on a response for the Review of the Frameworks for the Teaching of Mathematics (Primary National Strategy / National Numeracy Strategy’s framework)

Our evidence from questionnaires with over 500 teachers in England is that the teaching and learning of ‘written’ mathematics for young children (especially in Foundation and Yr. 1) is insufficiently clear and with very limited examples. Many teachers feel that there is a great deal of confusion on teaching this important aspect of the curriculum. Please email us with your comments! It’s worth re-emphasizing that our evidence from our research with children is clear: children’s mathematical graphics support their understanding of mathematical symbols, calculations, data-handling and other aspects of ‘written’ mathematics. Engaging in their own mathematical mark-making supports children’s thinking and problem-solving at a very deep level.

Click here for February 2006 news

The children had agreed to ‘help the head teacher’ make an inventory of furniture and resources in the classroom. Karl, 4.9 years decided to count the tables. Karl has shown something of the appearance of ‘lots of legs’, which may have included the legs of chairs beneath the tables. When he’d finished, Karl counted the tables and then re-counted, putting a mark on each table he’d drawn as his pen touched the paper. At the top he wrote his approximation of ‘10’.