The article focuses on problem solving skills of 5-6 year old preschoolers when being familiarised with numbers at kindergartens. Learning materials were designed that include 4 situations in which the children need to suggest their solutions to the problems. The sample is 150 children in some different kindergartens in Hanoi.
The result revealed that children had many different solutions in one situation. They had some good ways to solve the problem how to arrange, classify and compare things but their ability to use of the numbers in reality was still limited. Thus, teachers should give children more chances to work with quantity representations in both playing and learning activities in kindergartens.
Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION
CONTENT
1. Literature review
1.1. Preschool assessment of children
1.2. Problematic situations and the solutions of preschoolers.
1.3. The focus of the program that familiarises preschoolers at the age of 5 - 6 with numbers at kindergarten.
2. Experiment to assess how children at the age of 5 - 6 solve problems related to numbers.
3. Results
3.1 Situation 1:
3.2 Situation 2:
3.3. Situation 3:
3.4. Situation 4:
3.5 The relationship among the children’s answers
CONCLUSION
Objectives and Research Focus
The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the problem-solving strategies of 5-6-year-old children in kindergartens when they are introduced to basic mathematical concepts, such as numbers, counting, and classification. The study seeks to understand whether proficiency in abstract counting tasks correlates with the ability to apply mathematical knowledge to solve real-world, practical problems.
- Assessment of preschool children’s logical thinking and problem-solving skills.
- Implementation of practical experiments using diverse, everyday problematic situations.
- Analysis of different methods children utilize to reach solutions (e.g., counting, grouping, calculation).
- Investigation into the correlation between basic numeracy skills and practical problem-solving capability.
Excerpt from the Book
1.2. Problematic situations and the solutions of preschoolers.
A problematic situation always contains a certain idea to define, a task to complete or problem to solve...so, the results of the research on problematic situations will bring about new knowledge, new perception or new actions for the subject.
A problematic situation is characterised by a psychological state of the subject arised when solving a problem that requires him/her to use new knowledge and new strategies. A problematic situation has 3 main components: the need to perceive or take action of the learners, the search for the unknown knowledge and action strategies; and the intelligence of the subject that is shown by his/her experience and abilities.
Problematic situations for kindergarteners can be suggested by teachers both in playing and studying activities. By observing each individual or a group of children at kindergarten, teachers can find out how the children solve a problem.
Problem solving is a really important stage in education in which learners try to find the best solutions to the problems by making use of their abilities, knowledge and facilities.
5 - 6 year old preschoolers have a new visual way of thinking: mind-mapping and logical thinking. Mind-mapping enables children to reflect objective relationships without depending on their subjective actions or wants. This reflection is necessary for children to acquire new knowledge that they cannot gain from observing things separately and making a generalisation by combining their characteristics (2, p.317).
Summary of Chapters
INTRODUCTION: Provides the educational context and significance of familiarizing 5-6-year-old children with numbers to develop essential cognitive and problem-solving skills.
CONTENT: Presents the theoretical foundation, experimental design, and empirical findings regarding how preschoolers approach mathematical challenges.
1. Literature review: Defines preschool assessment, explores the nature of problematic situations in learning, and outlines the core curriculum focus for numeracy at the kindergarten level.
2. Experiment to assess how children at the age of 5 - 6 solve problems related to numbers.: Describes the methodology, participants, and the four specific situations used to measure children's mathematical problem-solving strategies.
3. Results: Details the empirical data gathered from the four experimental situations and analyzes the statistical relationship between different types of problem-solving performance.
3.1 Situation 1: Analyzes the methods children used to count objects in a simple visual representation of eight strawberries.
3.2 Situation 2: Examines how children handle basic addition problems when presented with two separate sets of apples.
3.3. Situation 3: Evaluates the children's ability to classify and compare quantities of different fruit types in a practical scenario.
3.4. Situation 4: Investigates the application of quantitative knowledge in a physical balancing task involving a seesaw.
3.5 The relationship among the children’s answers: Uses statistical methods (chi-square) to determine if there is a meaningful correlation between counting accuracy and real-world problem-solving ability.
CONCLUSION: Summarizes findings, noting that while children excel at basic counting, they require further support to apply these skills effectively in real-world contexts.
Keywords
numbers, mathematics, 5-6 year old preschoolers, assessment, problem solving, solution, early childhood education, quantitative skills, logical thinking, kindergarten curriculum, experimental study, child development
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on assessing the problem-solving skills of 5-6-year-old children in kindergartens, specifically observing how they handle tasks related to numbers and mathematical logic.
What are the central themes of the work?
The main themes include early childhood mathematical development, the role of "problematic situations" in education, assessment techniques for non-reading/writing learners, and the transition from abstract counting to practical application.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to evaluate how young children approach and solve mathematical problems and to identify the effectiveness of current methods in familiarizing them with quantity and number representation.
What scientific methods were employed?
The researchers used an experimental method involving 150 children in Hanoi. They implemented a survey questionnaire featuring four distinct situations, where teachers observed and documented the methods children used to reach their solutions.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body covers a literature review on preschool assessment, a detailed account of the four experimental tasks involving counting, addition, classification, and physical balancing (seesaw), and a statistical analysis of the relationships between children's responses.
Which keywords best describe the study?
Key terms include numbers, mathematics, 5-6 year old preschoolers, assessment, problem solving, and solution, reflecting the intersection of pedagogy and child cognitive development.
Did the children show consistent results across all tasks?
The study found a relationship between counting and classification tasks, but notably, it found no significant relationship between basic counting accuracy and the ability to solve the complex real-world problem presented in Situation 4.
What does the "seesaw" situation reveal about child reasoning?
The seesaw experiment shows that even if children can count well, they do not necessarily possess the ability to apply quantitative knowledge to solve real-world problems like balancing weights, indicating a gap between abstract knowledge and practical application.
What is the author's primary recommendation for teachers?
The authors suggest that teachers should create more diverse, problematic situations in both play and formal learning activities to help children bridge the gap between simple counting and more complex problem-solving in reality.
Why is the "problematic situation" important for this age group?
Problematic situations are crucial because they challenge children to use new knowledge and strategies, fostering logical thinking and mind-mapping skills necessary for their transition to primary education.
- Citar trabajo
- Giap Binhnga (Autor), Nguyen Manh Tuan (Autor), 2017, Assessing problem-solving skills of 5-6 year old children when being familiarised with numbers in kindergartens, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/385565
