In this resource you will learn about Alan Bishop's six fundamental mathematical activities that are the starting point for working with mathematics in early childhood education and care (ECEC) institutions in Norway.
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Introduction
In the resources developed by the Norwegian research project DiCoTe, we draw on Bishop's (1988) six fundamental mathematical activities.
In this resource we explain these activities and how they are connected to the Norwegian ECEC curriculum.
Aim, for who, and content
Aim: To gain knowledge about Bishop's six fundamental mathematical activities and how they can be seen in the context of the Norwegian ECEC curriculum.
Usefurl for: Early childhood in-service teachers, early childhood preservice teachers, and university lecturers in early childhood teacher education.
Content: Video.
Video
In the video, Bishop's mathematical activitites are presented.
Bishop's mathematical activitites - a video by Tamsin Meaney from from Western Norway University of Applied Sciences (HVL).
Thanks to the early childhood teachers and children for their contribution to this project.
About Bishop's mathematical activities
To count and use numbers.
To explore and use number words and counting systems in concrete situations, such as counting objects, comparing quantities, and developing an understanding of number systems and simple arithmetic operations.
To create and analyse patterns and shapes.
To create, recognise, and investigate different properties of patterns, shapes, and symmetry through art, construction, and design activities. This includes creating one's own representations and reflecting on aesthetic and geometric properties in everyday situations.
To orient oneself, describe how objects are situated in space and use spatial concepts.
To use and understand concepts related to location and direction by moving in space, giving and following instructions, including using representations such as maps, and orienting oneself in familiar and unfamiliar environments.
To compare and quantify the world.
To explore different ways of measuring and comparing quantities such as length, area, volume, weight, time and money. In this way, children develop experiences with measurement in meaningful situations.
To explore rules and strategies through play.
To participate in role play and fantasy play as an arena for creating and testing one's own hypotheses and where "what-if" questions lay the foundation for abstraction.
To explore and investigate mathematical relationships in different types of play and games, e.g. patterns, rules, strategies and problem solving.
To reason and explain thoughts.
To express and justify one's own thoughts, ask questions, and participate in conversations where they develop logical reasoning and explain connections. This promotes the ability to reflect and understand.
References
Bishop, A. J. (1988). Mathematics education in its cultural context. Educational studies in mathematics, 19(2), 179-191.
Solem, I. & Reikerås, E. K. L. (2017). Det matematiske barnet (3. utg.). Caspar forlag.
