Abstract
Children's early mathematical experiences play an enormous role in the development of their understanding of mathematics, and serve as a foundation for their cognitive development. In this descriptive study, we observed the naturally occurring mathematical activities engaged in by thirty-nine 3-year-olds, equally divided by race/ethnicity and social class. We observed each child for 18 hours over the course of a single week, in such a way as to cover the equivalent of a complete day in its life. The children varied a good deal in the extent to which they were observed engaging in mathematical activities, but the variation was not explicable by race/ethnicity or class. For comparative purposes, we also report on the literacy-related activities in which the children were engaged.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 21-39 |
Number of pages | 19 |
Journal | Early Childhood Research Quarterly |
Volume | 19 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 2004 |
Keywords
- Ethnicity
- Everyday activities
- Literacy
- Math
- Social class
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Education
- Developmental and Educational Psychology
- Sociology and Political Science