Bakhtin focuses on different aspects of talk including the child’s ‘voice’ and the cen-
trality of dialogue – this perspective of socio-culturalism is a valuable one for chil-
dren’s mathematical graphics. Building on Bakhtin’s theory of ‘utterances’, we argue
that children’s mathematical graphics ‘also have a pre-history – of others’ marks and
written methods – and are therefore polyadic’ (Worthington, 2005b).
Children’s own representations thus mediate their higher mental processes,
allowing them to progress towards practices that are culturally appropriate (Efland,
2002). This bridging of the bi-cultural divide between their informal home
representations and the standard abstract symbolism of school mathematics
allows children to also bridge the gulf between informal and abstract written math-
ematics (see pp. 79–80). But it is in their homes and communities that children first
learn about literacies.
Early Years practitioners and educators have long believed that children’s earliest
experiences in educational settings are highly significant for young children. Viewed
from a socio-cultural perspective, creating positive learning cultures within our set-
tings will best support children’s developing understanding. In such positive cul-
tures, children’s own knowledge and understandings which Bruner describes as
‘their excellencies’ – are valued and meaning is co-constructed by adults and chil-
dren (Bruner, 1996, p. 13) they will become full members of a mathematical literacy
‘club’ (Carruthers, 1997a). But it is within their homes and communities that chil-
dren first learn about literacies.Socio-cultural contexts of home and the community
Like writing and reading, mathematics learning is embedded in the socio-cultural
practices of the child’s family, community and culture. These socio-cultural contexts
are interdependent and are created by children and adults together. The learning is
also ‘mediated through the values and behaviours of the child’s culture’ (Barratt-
Pugh and Rohl, 2000, p. 7).Socio-cultural practices, tools and technologies
In their studies of the literacy practices children have access to in their homes, Wein-
berger (1996) and Hill et al. (1998) found ‘a great deal of rich and diverse literacy
learning in the home’ (Barratt-Pugh and Rohl, 2000, p. 6). Adults may read television
listings in a newspaper; go to the supermarket where they read signs, labels and
prices; write a cheque; choose a DVD (reading the picture and text on the box) in the
DVD shop; read instructions from television, computers, museum displays; read a
menu from a Chinese restaurant or a catalogue dropped through the letter box. The
evening weather report we check to see if we should go for a picnic the following day
and the many road and shop signs we pass when walking or driving in urban areas
also surround us with literate symbols, marks and images. Other literacy practices in
the community outside the home are often within the child’s experiences, such as a
poster with details of a school fête or a noticeboard outside the local mosque.24 Children’s Mathematics8657part 1b.qxd 04/07/2006 18:06 Page 24