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6 février 2019
- handle: 10670/1.uxipok
- hal: hal-02435272
info:eu-repo/semantics/OpenAccess
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Marie Therese Farrugia, « Young children’s mathematising during free play with ‘loose parts’ », HAL-SHS : sciences de l'éducation, ID : 10670/1.uxipok
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‘Learning through play’ is an oft-quoted maxim for Early Years education. I was interested in investigating how free play with ‘loose parts’ (blocks, acorns, pebbles, etc.) might support children’s experiences of mathematics. In this paper I discuss the first part of a study carried out with four 4-year-old children in Malta. The children were presented with various loose parts and allowed to play freely without adult intervention. I noted whether the children gave mathematical interpretations as they played; my main interest was numerical/quantitative interpretations. As a theoretical framework I drew on Vygotsky’s theory of play and on the notion of ‘mathematising’ (Sfard), or participation in mathematical discourse. I considered this in terms of the relations set up by way of terminology (Walkerdine). My data showed that spontaneous mathematising during the free play was limited.