Children\'s Mathematics

(2004) see p. 7. There is, therefore, a very real and as yet largely unrealised potential

for developing high levels of cognitive challenge and creativity in mathematics

through encouraging children’s mathematical graphics.

Teachers can support children’s mathematical literacy by:

• recognising and supporting the socio-cultural contexts of children’s home learn-
  ing


• creating a positive learning environment in which children’s own contributions
  are valued


• creating contexts for shared discussion


• recognising the significance of representation for children to make personal
  meaning


• listening to what children say about what their marks mean


• encouraging children to reflect about what they are thinking


• looking at what children do know about mathematics through their own marks


• building on children’s own early marks and representations


• recognising that there are many ways in which children represent their mathe-
  matical thinking on paper.

Without the rich experiences of diverse literacy practices within children’s families,

communities and cultures and the very specific cultures created by their teachers,

the many examples of mathematical literacy in this book would not exist.

In this chapter we have used several examples to introduce some of the possibili-

ties. In the next chapter we explore children’s mathematical marks in a different

way, through their mathematical schemas.

Further Reading

Literacy

• Barratt-Pugh, C. and Rohl, M. (2000) Literacy Learning in the Early Years.Bucking-
  ham: Open University Press.
  Creativity


• Craft, A. (2002) Creativity and Early Years Education, London: Continuum.
  Socio-culturalism


• Rogoff, B. (2003) The Cultural Nature of Human Development. Oxford: Oxford Uni-
  versity Press.


• Wood , E. and Atfield, J. (2005) Play, Learning and the Early Childhood Curriculum.
  London: Paul Chapman.

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