Scribble-marks

Children's early marks often include intentionally made scribble-marks and dots.

• The term ‘scribbles’ is largely used by adults as a derogatory term, suggesting that the person making

   them, shows lack of care or interest. 

• We identified scribble-marks (and sometimes multiple dots) as one of the earliest means children use to communicate their mathematical thinking.

• We use the term “scribble-marks” to refer to marks that adults would find difficult to interpret without the child’s verbal explanation.

• Within their pretend play, children often use scribble-marks as “shorthand” for writing, seemingly so that the course of their play is not interrupted.

Scribble-marks are the foundations of drawing, writing and mathematical notations.

Dellalonga (2024), asserts that the implications of research by Worthington & van Oers, (2017) "are that curricula for the early childhood years may be too narrowly defined, and that a child-centred approach may benefit students. This study was significant because it supports previous ideas by Vygotsky (1934) who suggested that the more that young children are allowed to scribble in an encouraging environment using marks and symbols, that it can further the development of other symbolic knowledge in literacy, math, and music" (Dellalonga, 2024, p. 33).

Click here to see examples of scribble-marks and dots.

References

Dellalonga, S. (2024). Scribbling and early literacy connections: How do early childhood teachers perceive scribbles? [Doctoral Dissertation] St John's University, New York.