- play with numbers, sometimes making up their own idiosyncratic games
- know that numbers have written symbols but may not know what they are
- recognise that numbers can be used in different ways, e.g. when counting you use
a string of numbers and when you talk about time you use one single number - have started to develop their own number system with notable conventions of
number, e.g. some children count ‘1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11’. They have used the numbers
and they know some conventional strings.
I think it is important to note here that this knowledge can come before the child is
observed counting with one-to-one correspondence, as was the case in Sovay’s study.
This also dispels the myth of the concept of ‘pre-number’ or ‘readiness’ activities.
Children are always ready for numbers. The Durham Project (Davis and Pettitt, 1994)
also questioned this concept because, from the evidence of their research, children
learn about number by counting objects in a variety of ways and not by traditional
pre-number activities such as sorting and matching. Children also learn about
numbers beyond counting in real life and purposeful contexts, as Sovay did.
As we have already emphasised, young children develop understandings about
mathematics long before they enter school. Often when they start school their abil-
ities are not always recognised by their teachers who pitch activities at a much lower
level than that at which the children are functioning. Aubrey’s (1994b) study high-
lighted this mismatch between teachers’ expectations and the children’s actual
ability in mathematics. Wells (1986) found in his study of home and school that the
home provides a rich learning environment where children ask questions, reflect,
argue and therefore construct knowledge. Sovay in her mathematical development
was observed reasoning, hypothesising and synthesising information. The following
example of her engagement with number language emphasises the kind of learning
and conversation that goes on at home. This conversation between Sovay and her
mother happened the day before Sovay’s third birthday. There had been much dis-
cussion about both her party and her age.
Mum How old will you be tomorrow?
Sovay One.
Mum No.
Sovay One.
Mum No.
Sovay Two.
Mum No.
Sovay Four.
Mum No.
Sovay Yes, you said four.
Mum I didn’t.
Sovay Eighteen.
Mum No.
Sovay What?
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