Hbmt1203semester limaoum
Download as DOCX, PDF1 like302 views
The document discusses the importance of teaching pre-number concepts to young children. It argues that learning pre-number concepts builds the foundation for understanding mathematical skills. The document outlines Piaget and Bruner's cognitive learning theories, which support teaching pre-number concepts. Specifically, it proposes activities to teach determining quantities ("as many as", "more than", "less than") and arranging objects by size using beads, balls and blocks. These activities align with Piaget's view that concrete experiences are important in the preoperational stage of development.
Hbmt1203semester limaoum
- 1. INTRODUCTION Learning pre number concepts is an essential strategy if a child wants to have a very good understanding of mathematical skills in school! What cognitive philosopher said about this belief? This paper will answer this question and issue, where it tries to prove that learning pre number concepts builds children study of early Mathematics and also the foundation for learning later skills that learnt in primary and secondary schools. Other than that, this paper also wants to prove that cognitive learning theories play an integral role in teaching and learning of early Mathematics. Before a child knows the symbol of numbers, they are exposed with pre number experiences such as sorting, comparing, making observations, seeing connections, telling, discussing ideas, asking and answering questions. According to Troutman (2003), in developing number sense for children in kindergarten, it began with learning pre number concepts. In contrary, the cognitive learning theory like Piaget and Bruner also believed that learning pre number concepts is one of very important strategies in teaching and learning early Mathematics skills. Based on the preschool syllabus, the children have to experience pre number concepts, numbers concepts, numbers operations, subtraction within 10, the value of money, the concept of time, shape and space, construction and ICT application. So, in pursuing the aims in preschool learning, this paper will prove that learning pre number concepts and the role of cognitive theories are the fundamental of early Mathematics study. The pre number concepts According to our module, there are five prerequisite skills needed in preschool Mathematics study, they are, develop classification abilities by their physical attributes, compare the quantities of two sets of objects using one-to-one matching, determine quantitative relationship including ; as many as, more than and less than, arrange objects into a sequence according to; size, length, height or width and vice versa, and lastly
- 2. recognize repeating patterns and create patterns by copying repeating patterns using objects such as blocks, beads and et cerra. The cognitive learning theory Jean Piaget(1896 – 1980) was originally a biologist but moved into the study of the development of children’s understanding. His view of how children’s minds work and develop has been successfully influence children education especially in logical mathematics. His research has a huge impact on learning study. His four stages of cognitive development became the most essential guidelines for teachers. By knowing the stages, teachers and school boards will know the best way to cater the children’s differences. The four stages are the sensori-motor(0 – 2 years), preoperational(2 – 7 years), Concrete operational(7 – 11 years) and the formal operational(11 – 16 years). Meanwhile, according to Bruner(1960), the child’s cognitive structures mature with age as a result of which the child can think and organize material in increasingly complex ways. He was influenced by Piaget and Vigotsky later on. He believed that there are three stages of cognitive development as the first stage is Enactive(0 – 1 years), Iconic(1 – 6 years) and the third is Symbolic( 7 years onwards). Bruner stated that the children of 4 to 6 years old are able to visualize the images through concrete materials. So, during these periods, it is often very helpful to have diagrams or illustrations to accompany verbal information. Therefore, in this paper I will discuss about the teaching of two topics in preschool syllabus and support it with the ideas of Piaget and Bruner theories, and also prove how learning pre number concept develop their knowledge on Mathematics skills through various activities involving the two topics chosen. The two topics are Numbers 1 to 10 and Shapes and Space.
- 3. THE ROLE OF PRE NUMBER CONCEPTSIN TEACHING TOPICS CHOSEN WITH SUPPORT FROM PIAGET AND BRUNER Determine quantitative relationship including „as many as‟, „more than‟ and „less than‟ The teaching of pre number concepts is very important for pre-school children because these concepts lay the foundation for children to develop the acquiring of later skills. As for determining the quantitative relationship including ‘as many as’, ‘more than’ and ‘less than’, this concept is one of the pre-counting activity as an understanding of the concept of ‘more’, ‘less’ and ‘the same’. So, it is can be taught in teaching or introducing the Numbers 0 to 10 before the children learn the numbers itself. The teacher can give the children some colourful beads, block or straws for have them manipulating it through play and games activities such as, find the more beads, and compare sets of blocks according to colours and so on. These activities will motivate them to observe, explore and play actively. This pre-number concept also is useful in teaching Shape and Space where by using the same objects, the teacher can ask the children to gather things and put them together according to its colours, sizes and shapes. The teaching of the pre-number concept given as above is relaying on the theory by Piaget(1960a, 1960b, 1964) as it said that children should not be taught certain concepts until they have reached the appropriate stage cognitive development in preoperational stage. They are interested in comparing more objects but still restrained by concrete world. As for Bruner(1960), he explained that complex ideas can be taught at a simplified level first, and then move to the more complex levels later on. Arrange objects into a sequence according to size(small to big), length(short to long), height(short to tall) or width(thin to thick) and vice versa
- 4. Teaching Numbers 0 to 10 also can be taught in arranging objects activities according their sizes, lengths, heights and widths. For example, arrange the cubes from small to big and at the same time put some beads in the cubes to see the sequence of numbers and the children do not have to count! When teaching shapes, this pre-number concept will be very meaningful to the children as they are able to touch, feel and observe the different shapes. Children like to play with shapes in different colours through games like fun games, placing objects or people in different position(over, under, above, below or between).(Arkmann, 2004). So, different activities can be very enjoyable for children below 7 to learn the early Mathematics. In kindergarten year, most 5-year-olds can copy shapes, such as triangles and rectangles because according to Piaget &Inhelder(1956), at this age, children still draw chimneys at a 90º angle from the roof, instead of vertically or perpendicular to the ground. In addition, Bruner suggested that a child capable of learning any material so long as the instruction appropriately given and told. So, children capable to identify shapes around them even though they do not know the names of the shapes. SUGGESTION ACTIVITIES, STRATEGIES AND RESOURCES IN CORPORATE WITH PRE NUMBER CONCEPT Teaching Numbers 0 to 10 The children must acquire pre-number concepts in order to develop good number sense. Here is the suitable activity to determine quantitative relationship including ‘as many as’, ‘more than’ and ‘less than’. Learning outcome: By the end of the teaching and learning acitivity, the pupils will be able to:
- 5. determine quantitative relationship including ‘as many as’, ‘more than’ and ‘less than’. Materials: Sets of colourful beads Sets of different sizes of balls Containers Procedures: 1. Determine the quantity of the beads by colours 1.1 The teacher asks the pupils to sit in group of four and do the task give in group. 1.2 Then, the teacher gives a question, ‘look children, which colour of beads has more?’ 1.3 Teacher continues asking questions, ‘how about the red beads, is it lesser than the green or has equal? Can you match them one to one to explore? Here you go.’ 1.4 The pupils respond to the questions. Teaching pupils in this stage of development according to Piaget should employ effective questioning about determining quantities. Topic 2: Shape and Space Activity: Arranging objects into a sequence according to size(small to big), length(short to long), height(short to tall) or width(thin to thick) and vice versa Learning outcome: By the end of the teaching and learning activity, the pupils will be able to: Arrange objects into a sequence according to size, length, height and width Material: Sets of different sizes of blocks Sets of different sizes of balls
- 6. Procedure: 1. Teacher divides the pupils into a group of four and gives the activity to them. 2. Teacher gives the instruction: ‘Children, here are some blocks with different sizes. Teacher wants all groups try to think of a way to arrange the blocks according to their sizes from small to big. I give you all 3 minutes to do the task. Here you go!’ 3. The pupils do the activities and the teacher observes while they do the task in group. As mentioned before, Piaget stated that the teacher should gives appropriate questions to the pupils to motivate them to determining the quantity or characterizing the shapes but in this activity, the teacher let the pupils to explore and to observe by manipulating the objects given. It is because children like to manipulate objects in this stage of development according to Piaget’s Preoperational stage and Bruner’s Iconic stage theory. IMPLICATION OF LEARNING THEORIES Piaget Critics of Piaget’s work argue that his proposed theory does not offer a complete description of cognitive development(Eggen&Kauchak, 2000). Piaget is criticized for underestimating the abilities of young children. Even though, Piaget’s theory is useful and implemented in the field of psychology and education and referred to in children development(Piaget 1960), but criticized because overestimating the abilities of older learners, having implications for both learners and teachers. Other than that, positively Piaget gave impacts on teaching numbers and quantities where for example, a child may be asked to bring enough cups for everybody in the class without being explicitly told to count. Unlike his theory, games are also a good way to acquire understanding of mathematical principles, so not only the cognitive activity should be given an attention in teaching Mathematics(Kamii, 1982).
- 7. Bruner Bruner’s theory of how children construct knowledge involves three basic modes of instruction. In their early years, young children rely extensively upon enactive modes of learning. Iconic representation normally becomes dominant during the next stage of childhood years. Children learn to understand what pictures and diagrams are and how to do arithmetic using numbers and without counting objects So, an implication of Bruner’s developmental theories is that children should be provided with study materials, activities, and tools that are matched to and capitalise on their developing cognitive capabilities. For example, a teacher wanting to help children learn about dinosours could use all three modes. Views of other Mathematics teachers Jerome Lumbidau Experience: 17 years of experiences teaching Mathematics in Primary schools School: SK KokolMenggatal, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia View: “ I agree with Piaget and Bruner in teaching early Mathematics study using pre- number concepts to give them solid awareness of number sense. They can use the knowledge in higher level cognitive development later on.” GardanGuntis Experience: 17 years in teaching Mathematics in Primary schools Current School: SK Rangalau Lama, Tuaran, Sabah, Malaysia View: “ Piaget and Bruner gave an influential and meaningful guidelines on how to help pupils to be more logical and critical in thinking, I believe that their theories are helpful for all of us.” Jacqueline Vun Experience: 12 years in Primary school School: SJK(C) ST. James, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- 8. View: “ Yes, we teachers should help the pupils to acquire the pre-number concepts before they are taught the numbers symbolically, we supposed use a various materials to give them the opportunity to learn in more convenient and meaningful way of learning the Mathematics skills. So, it should start from the early stage of cognitive development. I agree with Piaget.” So, overall summary of the views and my research on the topic, Piaget and Bruner give positive impact on our education especially on children cognitive development in regards with pre-school early Mathematics study. Furthermore, pre-number concept teaching is also one of the most important things that every Mathematics teacher should re-consider when giving the skills in school. It should be started at early age to build a solid character of number sense in a child. CONCLUSION It is undeniable that learning pre number concept in preschool level is an essential fundamental of Mathematics study. The learning experiences reinforce the children’s ability in acquiring the skills from concrete to complex and it is supported with the opinions by Piaget and Bruner. Besides, Mathematics teachers views also prove that the theories are true about the importance of learning of pre number concept. 2078 words
- 9. REFERENCES KPM.(2011). HuraianKurikulumPraSekolahKebangsaan. BPK OUM.(2012).HBMT1203 Teaching of Pre-School Mathematics. Seri Kembangan: OUM Reedal.,E, Kristin.(2010,May). Jean Piaget’s Cognitive Development Theory in Mathematics Education.The Journalpp 16 – 20 http://ctl.utsc.utoronto.ca/twc/sites/default/files/LitReview.pdf http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NA0kaApMGgU&feature=related www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/cy/2006/fs0691.pdf