A Study on Counting Patterns in Preschool Children

(4-5 years old)

Ms. D.M.W.MunasingheMr.P.SenevirathneMr.T.Mukunthan

Dept. Early Childhood and Primary EducationThe Open University of Sri Lanka

Out Line

• Introduction

• Objectives

• Research questions

• Population and Sample

• Data collection and Analysis

• Discussion of Findings

• Conclusion

Introduction• Counting is one of the first mathematical

concepts that children learn.

• Most of the children learn the mathematical concept counting during the pre-school stage.

• Language is very important tool to develop mathematical concepts of preschool children (Vacca and Vacca, 1996).

Introduction (Cont.)

• the principles of counting are constant, as with the underlying concepts of number,

• we know that the counting words and numeral symbols vary with the number system and language within which the preschool child develops his/her early conceptions of number.

Objectives

1. Examine the patterns of counting numbers applied by the preschool children.

2. Identify the differences of counting patterns of boys and girls in the sample.

3. Identify the pattern of counting errors made by the children in the sample.

Research Questions1. What are the patterns of counting numbers

applied by Pre-School Children?

2. Is there any difference between boys and girls with regard to those patterns of counting?

3. What are the counting errors made by children in the pre-school years?

Population Target population for the study comprised preschool children.

Representative sample was selected from the Western province.

SampleTown/ urban council(1 per district)

Non- Government Organization(2 per district)

Private(3 per district)

Total

Boys Girls Boys

Girls Boys Girls Boys Girls

Colombo 05 05 10 10 15 15 30 30Gampaha 05 05 10 10 15 15 30 30Kalutara 05 05 10 10 15 15 30 30Total 15 15 30 30 45 45 90 90

Data collection and Analysis• Participatory observation method was used to

collect data from eighteen preschools.

• Descriptive statistical methods were used to analysis data.

• Trained resource persons and research team were engaged to collect data using on observation schedule.

• The representation of data was done through statistical analysis with the use of percentages and tables.

Discussion of Findings• What are the patterns of counting numbers

applied by pre-school Children?• We identified some counting patterns in

preschool children in the sample.• All the preschool children in the sample could

count correctly up to six and thereafter they began to count without a sequence.

• A some children left out number seven and nine in counting.

• In counting, some of them did not relate the number with the object

Is there any difference of counting numbers between boys and girls?

Responses Gender Number of Children

%

Count with a sequence

Boys 65 36.11%Girls 68 37.77%

Count without sequence

Boys 21 11.66%Girls 14 7.77%

Did not Count

Boys 04 2.22%Girls 08 4.44%

What are the errors children made in the pre-school years?

Response Number of Children

Percentage

Count correctly

133 73.88%

Count without order

35 19.43%

Not answered 12 6.66%

Counting with objects

Response Number of Students

Percentage

count correctly 96 53.33%

count wrongly 72 40%

Not answered 12 6.67%

Pronunciation of number words

Response Number of Children

%

Pronounce correctly 118

65.56Did not pronounce correctly 50 27.77Not answered

12 6.67

Conclusion

• The teacher has to pay individual attention on children and he/she should provide practice session to children on the pronunciation of number words.

• Teaching instruction procedure has to be designed to eliminate the problems encountered by the preschool child when counting numbers.

THANK YOU