Early childhood teachers' selection of subskills-related activities and instructional approaches to foster children's early number skills

Abstract

Mathematical activities have the potential to benefit children's mathematical development. However, research on early childhood teachers' choice of mathematical activities in order to foster children's early number skills is still pending. Therefore, this chapter focuses on subskills-related activities as well as instructional approaches early childhood teachers apply during mathematical learning situations. In order to provide information, 25 early childhood teachers were observed while introducing children to mathematical ideas that would promote their early number skills. The results of this chapter indicate a considerable amount of variability among teachers in terms of subskills-related activities and approaches. However, it is striking that certain activities, such as counting forward for example, are overrepresented, while other activities, such as those relating to one-to-one correspondence, are considered by only a minority of teachers. Concerning teachers' choice of instructional approaches, the findings reveal that teacher-managed activities were prevailing while play-based learning occurred only occasionally. Results are discussed against the backdrop of institutional conditions, teacher characteristics, and the limitations of our chapter.