Improving Mathematics Teaching in Kindergarten with Realistic Mathematical Education

The present study investigates and compares the influence of teaching Realistic Mathematics on the development of mathematical competence in kindergarten. The sample consisted of 231 Greek kindergarten students. For the implementation of the survey, we conducted an intervention, which included one experimental and one control group. Children in the experimental group were taught Realistic Mathematics according to the principles of Realistic Mathematics Education. The control group was taught mathematics following the basic pedagogical principles of curriculum for kindergarten students. In order to evaluate the mathematical performance of children we used the Test of Early Mathematics Ability (TEMA-3). The results showed that the teaching technique with the use of Realistic Mathematic Education contributed significantly to the development of mathematical competence of young children. Moreover, factors such as gender, age and nonverbal cognitive ability, did not seem to differentiate the development of mathematical competence of children.     

The use of ICT in kindergarten for teaching addition based on realistic mathematics education

The purpose of this study is to investigate if information and communications technology (ICT) helps improve kindergarten students’ basic mathematical achievement regarding addition. Our research compares the level of mathematical competence of the students taught using our ICT oriented learning method which specifically takes advantage of ‘Realistic Mathematics Education’ (RME) for the concept of addition, as opposed to traditional teaching methodology. The designed software consisted of a story and several activities with and without the use of computers for addition. It was designed following the background of the RME theory. The study dealt with kindergarten students in Crete, who were divided into two groups (experimental and control). The experimental group consisted of 165 students who were taught addition with the support of computers. There were 170 students in the control group which were not exposed to the computer oriented curriculum. Students in both groups were pre-tested and post-tested for their mathematical achievement. The results of the study indicated that teaching and learning through ICT is an interactive process for students at the kindergarten level and has a positive effect for the learning of addition using the background of the RME theory. Also, the most important result of this study was that this teaching intervention appeared to be more effective for the kindergarten students with medium-level mathematical abilities.     

Comparison of Traditional Instruction on Reflection and Rotation in a Nepalese High School with an ICT-Rich,Student-Centered,Investigative Approach

A teacher-centered, examination-driven instructional approach emphasizing knowledge of facts and standard methods through drill-and-practice without use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) is still dominant in Nepalese high schools. In this article, we present a classroom study in which the traditional instructional approach has been replaced by an ICT-rich, student-centered, investigative approach in the context of teaching and learning basic concepts of reflection and rotation. Here, ICT refers to dynamic geometry software. Through a pretest-posttest control and experimental group research design, we compared the effects of both approaches on students’ understanding. A test was designed and used for investigating students’ alternative conceptions of reflection and rotation. The results showed that the experimental group outperformed the control group and there were indications of a lasting effect. Qualitative analysis indicated that all distinctive aspects of the experimental approach had positive effects on the students’ performance and learning experience. This study can also be considered as an evidence-based example of how one can, with limited ICT facilities, still achieve improvements in teaching and learning at a public high school in a developing country.     

幼儿教师角色定位对高职学前教育课程改革的启示

高等职业院校学前教育专业的课程改革必须及时跟踪人才市场需求的变化,主动适应幼儿园教育改革发展的需要,有针对性地调整和设置专业课程。要以新时期幼儿教师角色为切入点来分析高职学前教育专业课程改革,变＂教＂的能力为理性地思考,发展记录儿童、解读儿童、呼应儿童的能力;变＂艺术技能＂课为教育技能课;增加实践类课程的比重;关注家庭与社区相关的课程。     

浅议幼师数学教学中的有效提问

数学是幼师生的基础课程,对其基本素质与能力有重要影响。本文对当前幼师数学教学中存在的问题进行了分析,阐述了有效提问的概念和特征,提出以有效提问来改进幼师数学课堂教学。     

Teaching thinking: the case for principles

Abstract

This paper reviews the situation with regard to the teaching of thinking skills as part of the taught curriculum. The case is made for direct teaching of cognitive skills both to meet the particular learning difficulties of children with special educational needs and also to enhance the learning and thinking of all children. The dangers of ‘recipe’ approaches to teaching this aspect of the curriculum are discussed and a ‘principles’ approach is advocated. Some principles are then described which may be used to underpin the designing of problem‐solving activities, through which thinking skills can be taught across the curriculum.     

Effects of a specific numeracy educational program in kindergarten children: A pilot study

The present study compared the relative effects of 2 educational programs on kindergarten children. The experimental group took part in a numeracy-specific program, which focused on conceptual knowledge. Children were taught basic numerical skills such as understanding and handling numbers and their relations as well as counting principles. The control group participated in a more general program which involved training in procedural skills.

Results revealed significant learning effects in the children who participated in the numeracy program particularly for counting sequences and mental calculation. Since neither group was explicitly trained in mental calculation, our findings suggest that a learning transfer took place in the experimental group.     

Applying the Mastery Learning Model to Sight Word Instruction for Disabled Readers

The present study evaluated the effect of applying a mastery learning model to sight word instruction for learning disabled (LD), elementary school children. A total of 48 LD children were taught 30 sight words in 9 lessons which incorporated mastery learning strategies, and a comparison group (W = 16) with methods that are typically used in the teaching of sight words. While all children could read less than 10% of the words on the pretest, the experimental group achieved over 90% accuracy on the posttest. This was higher than the average posttest performance of the comparison group (72% accuracy). Results of this investigation suggest that a majority of LD children can reach mastery on sight words within a reasonable time framework if sound remedial principles are applied consistently. The procedures described in this paper can serve both as a model of effective sight word instruction and as a diagnostic, trial-remediation technique for a disabled population.     

Does Preschool Enrichment of Precursors to Arithmetic Influence Intuitive Knowledge of Number in Low Income Children?

In this study, we examine whether preventive enrichment of pre-math skills has an influence on number knowledge in preschool children from low income families. Our data analyses use two methods to examine the influence of two independent programs implemented during junior kindergarten and kindergarten. The first implies the traditional approach comparing the self-selected treated group to a self-selected comparison group. The second approach uses a self-selected dosage approach to the treatment condition, considering that implementation of the program varied across teachers. The results regarding the enrichment program in kindergarten were inconclusive. Nevertheless, the pre-math program implemented in junior kindergarten showed a positive influence on children’s core requisite skills for later learning of arithmetic. Although children were receptive during both preschool years, a junior kindergarten program that elaborates upon conceptual issues beyond the number line appears both feasible and beneficial over the short-term.     

Differential results of instruction at the preoperational/concrete operational transition

The same cognitive intervention was attempted with children from two schools serving different populations. All children were identified by their teachers as having cognitive difficulties in kindergarten. Within each school, children were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups. Children in the experimental groups received more than 40 short lessons on unidimensional classification (oddity), seriation, and number conservation. These lessons were taught via a learning-set procedure employing 160 kinds of manipulatable objects. Children in the control groups received an equal amount of instruction on verbal and mathematics materials recommended by their teachers. Five months after the instruction was concluded, the experimental group in one school scored significantly better on a psychometric test of reasoning. There was no significant difference in verbal and mathematics achievement. Differences in the significance of outcomes of the intervention at the two schools suggest that children at different stages of cognitive development will benefit differently from cognitive interventions. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

The Transition to Kindergarten

The transition to kindergarten is a significant event for young children and their families. The methods teacher use to orient children and families to formal schooling can have a long term effect on academic achievement. This study examined the transition activities of over 3000 kindergarten teachers that participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). The results show that most schools do not provide a comprehensive transition plan that allows teachers and parents to exchange important information about child development and school expectations.     

Developing a mathematics curriculum to improve learning behaviors and mathematics competency of children

The authors investigated the effect of a mathematical curriculum (CU) developed based on verbal and practical activities on the mathematical competency (MC) and learning behaviors (LB) of preschool children. In a quasi-experimental design, 60 children (5- to 6-year-old girls) were selected using the accessible sampling method. The children were randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, and the relevant concepts were taught to the children in both groups. While the control group received the typical kindergarten education based on the usual textbooks and worksheets, the CU was taught to the experimental group. Structural equation modeling was used to model the data and statistical evaluation. The results demonstrated a significant difference between the two groups in MC and LB. The CU significantly improved MC directly, and indirectly through the improvement of LB (i.e., engagement and learning focus, verbal behaviors, and type of activity).     

幼儿园开展数学教育应注意的几个问题

幼儿园数学教育既是幼儿园教育活动的重要组成部分,又是幼儿园教育实践中的"硬骨头",针对当前整合教育思想下数学教育被淹没的情况,幼儿园数学教育应从数学与自然科学的关系、幼儿的思维发展规律、学前数学教育内容以及数学问题教学等几个方面进行研究与改进,以更好的促进幼儿园数学教育水平的整体提高。     

重新认识“寓教育于一日生活之中”

"寓教育于一日生活之中"是幼儿园教学的重要特点,它揭示了幼儿园教学应当回归生活世界的价值取向。但是,在教学实践中存在着对"寓教育于一日生活之中"的种种误解,导致幼儿园教学流于形式、流于平庸,使得幼儿园教学"日常生活化"。因此,我们需要重新认识和理解"寓教育于一日生活之中"的含义,明确"一日生活"不同于"日常生活"。幼儿园教学回归生活世界应当重视教学实践中的交往,尤其是教师与幼儿个体之间的交往以及幼儿与幼儿之间的交往,真正关注和回归幼儿的文化生命世界。     

The use of mathematical symbolism in problem solving: An empirical study carried out in grade one in the French community of Belgium

This article relates to an empirical study based on the use of mathematical symbolism in problem solving. Twenty-five pupils were interviewed individually at the end of grade one; each of them was asked to solve and symbolize 14 different problems. In their classical curriculum, these pupils have received a traditional education based on a “top-down” approach (an approach that is still applied within the French Community of Belgium): conventional symbols are presented to the pupils immediately with an explanation of what they represent and how they should be used. Teaching then focuses on calculation techniques (considered as a pre-requisite for solving problems). The results presented here show the abilities (and difficulties) demonstrated by the children in making connections between the conventional symbolism taught in class and the informal approaches they develop when faced with the problems that are put to them. The limits of the “top-down” approach are then discussed as opposed to the more innovative “bottom-up” type approaches, such as those developed by supporters of Realistic Mathematics Educations in particular.     

Developing technical expertise in secondary technical schools: The effect of 4C/ID learning environments

In this study, the effectiveness of learning environments, developed in line with the specifications of the four components instructional design model (4C/ID model) and the additional effect of ICT for fostering the development of technical expertise in traditional Ghanaian classrooms, was assessed. The study had a one-by-one-by-two pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design. Three functionally equivalent classes of students from three similar (secondary technical) schools were randomly exposed to three different treatments. The sample consisted of 129 students. The treatment groups consisted of one control group with a regular method of teaching and two experimental groups: a 4C/ID learning environment with ICT; and a 4C/ID learning environment without ICT. The content for the treatments was selected from the secondary technical education syllabus. Technical teachers were trained to implement the interventions. After the pilot study, the materials were validated by experts and revised. Teachers were retrained. The main study, consisting of six sessions, was conducted in regular classrooms in three schools. Results indicated that a 4C/ID learning environment promotes the development of technical expertise in secondary technical education better than teaching designed in line with a regular method of teaching. Moreover, results reveal no significant difference in learning gains for the 4C/ID learning environment between the group with ICT and the group without ICT. In the final section, the theoretical, research and practical implications of the results for the instructional design and technology community as well as for educational practice, are discussed.     

Utility of kindergarten teacher judgments in identifying early learning problems

Most existing research on early identification of learning difficulties has examined the validity of methods for predicting future academic problems. The present study focused instead on the sensitivity of kindergarten teachers to learning problems in their students and on the continuity of teacher-identified problems over time. To identify early learning problems, kindergarten teachers in a suburban school district rated student progress toward six academic objectives as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Twenty percent of the district's 303 kindergarten children received unsatisfactory ratings in at least one area. Thirty-eight of these children (identified group) were matched to 34 children with satisfactory ratings in all areas (nonidentified group). Results of testing conducted during kindergarten revealed poorer academic achievement in identified children than in nonidentified children. Children from the identified group also performed more poorly than children from the nonidentified group on tests of phonological processing and working memory/executive function and were rated by teachers as having more behavior and attention problems and lower social competence. Follow-up of the sample to first grade documented continued learning problems in the identified group. These findings support the use of teacher judgements in early detection of learning problems and argue against reliance on discrepancy criteria.     

陶行知生活教育理论对农村幼儿园科学教育的启示

从评述陶行知生活教育理论入手,分析农村幼儿园科学领域的教学,重点探讨陶行知生活教育理论对农村幼儿园科学教育的方法论指导作用,以期进一步提高农村幼儿的科学素养,提高农村学前教育质量。     

What Works: Using Curriculum and Pedagogy to Increase Girls' Interest and Participation in Science

This article identifies instructional strategies, curricula, and organizational structures in the research literature that have been successful in encouraging girls' participation and achievement in science: science instruction in pre-kindergarten and kindergarten, relevant curricula that address girls' interests and provide opportunities for genuine inquiry and tinkering experiences, greater emphasis on physical science and the use of computers, integration of reading and writing in science, attention to how groups are formed in classrooms, activities that build self-efficacy, appropriate role models, messages that science is for everyone, and student-centered teaching. Special attention is given to the needs of children in preschool and kindergarten. In addition, research on the impact of single-sex classrooms and grouping is reviewed, along with the use of children's fictional literature to teach science. Implications derived from research literature include changes in what is taught, how it is taught, how teachers are prepared, and how these changes are paid for.     

Effects of the Zippy’s Friends Programme on Children’s Coping Abilities During the Transition from Kindergarten to Elementary School

This article explores the effects of participation during kindergarten in Zippy’s Friends, a 24-week school-based programme to help young people better cope with everyday adversities, on their adaptation to first grade. The experimental group consisted of 140 children in the first year of primary school who had participated in the Zippy’s Friends programme the preceding year when they attended a kindergarten in a different school. Results show that, compared to a control group of 106 children, participation in Zippy’s Friends is related to better adaptation to the transition from kindergarten to first grade. The experimental group was higher in behavioral and emotional adaptation to school, had more positive reactions to the new school environment and used more appropriate and more diversified coping strategies, when compared with the control group. The discussion explores why Zippy’s Friends may be related to better adaptation to transition from kindergarten to first grade.