Developing arithmetic skills in kindergarten through a game- based approach: a major issue for learners and a challenge for teachers

in International Journal of Early Years Education (2022)

Enhancing children’s numerical skills through a play-based intervention at kindergarten and at home: a quasi-experimental study

in Early Childhood Research Quarterly (2021), 54

Developing early number competencies through games played in school and at home

in Bergqvist, Ewa; Österholm, Magnus; Granberg, Carina (Eds.) et al Proceedings of the 42nd Conference of the International Group for the Psychology of Mathematics Education (2018, July 07)

Most research studies show that initial number knowledge constitutes the basis for understanding several major principles of mathematics. Moreover, early number competencies are considered as strong ... [more ▼]

Most research studies show that initial number knowledge constitutes the basis for understanding several major principles of mathematics. Moreover, early number competencies are considered as strong predictors of mathematics outcomes at the end of the first grade and even later on (Jordan, Kaplan, Ramineni & Locuniak, 2009). In preschool, the development of these competencies should obviously not give rise to formal learning but is developed through significant activities. However, while everyday situations offer significant contexts, they are still not sufficient to develop the basic number competencies necessary for first grade children (Cannon & Ginsburg, 2008). Adults have to create opportunities to learn mathematical competencies. Mathematical games can meet this requirement. The MathPlay project aims to develop early number competencies through games implemented in school and/or at home. According to the literature, early number competencies consist in counting, conservation ability, magnitude comparison, and (de)composition of numbers. To develop these competencies, we decided to adapt 8 well-known family games. To evaluate the effect of this play-based approach on the development of number competencies, an instrument was created and validated. A quasi-experimental research design (pre/post-test) was implemented in four countries: Luxembourg, Belgium, France and Switzerland. Seven hundred and twenty-five children from all these countries participated in this study. They were divided into one control group and one experimental group with two treatment conditions, X1 (with games at school), and X2 (with games both at school and at home). The post-test was administrated at two moments: just after the intervention and eight weeks later. Data is currently being analysed. This communication will present the first outcomes and will answer our research question: what is the immediate and deferred effect of this play-based approach (X1-X2) on students’ number competencies? [less ▲]

Besoins des apprenants en matière de pensée algébrique et connaissances pour enseigner cette pensée : évaluation diagnostique des acquis des enseignants à la transition école-collège

in Demeuse, Marc; Milmeister, Marianne; Weis, Christiane (Eds.) L'évaluation en éducation et en formation face aux transformations des sociétés contemporaines. Actes du 30e colloque de l'Admée-Europe (2018, January)

Algebraic thinking, pattern activities and knowledge for teaching at the transition between primary and secondary school.

in Educational Studies in Mathematics (2018), DOI 10.1007/s10649-018-9820-9

Symboliser et conceptualiser, deux facettes indissociables de la pensée mathématique : l'exemple de l'algèbre

Scientific Conference (2016)

Symboliser et conceptualiser, une dialectique intrinsèque aux mathématiques et à leur apprentissage

in Psychologie des apprentissages scolaires (2015)

Résolution de tâches complexes, évaluation « en phases » et compétence en mathématiques

in Dierendonck, Christophe; Loarer, Even; Rey, Bernard (Eds.) L'évaluation des compétences en milieu scolaire et en milieu professionnel (2014)

Schematic representations in arithmetical problem solving: Analysis of their impact on grade 4 students

in Educational Studies in Mathematics (2013), 84(1), 149-168

While the value of ‘schematic representations’ in problem solving requires no further demonstration, the way in which students should be taught how to construct these representations invariably gives rise ... [more ▼]

While the value of ‘schematic representations’ in problem solving requires no further demonstration, the way in which students should be taught how to construct these representations invariably gives rise to various debates. This study, conducted on 146 grade 4 students in Luxembourg, analyzes the effect of two types of ‘schematic representation’ (diagrams vs. schematic drawings) on the solving of arithmetical problems. The results show that the presence of schematic representations has a clear positive effect on overall student performance and that a non negligible proportion of students manage to reuse the representations encountered in order to solve new problems. While showing an effect slightly in favor of diagrams as opposed to schematic drawings, our results do not really permit us to draw any conclusions about the form that these representations should take, in particular since a differential effect was observed depending on the type of problem. [less ▲]

Evaluer des compétences en mathématiques dans le cadre d’une épreuve externe à large échelle au départ de tâches complexes, de tâches décomposées et de tâches élémentaires : quel pouvoir informatif ?

Scientific Conference (2012)